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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24985366">God's Plan</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/haleyross/pseuds/haleyross'>haleyross</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The View From The Observatory [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Lucifer (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canonical Character Death, Case Fic, Drama, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Like seriously so much smut, M/M, Original Character Death(s), Past Rape/Non-con, Post-Season/Series 03, Smut, Suicide, Supernatural Elements, Tarot, Trauma, Wing sex</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 02:22:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Rape/Non-Con</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>233,643</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24985366</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/haleyross/pseuds/haleyross</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The final Part of The View from the Observatory Series, God’s plan has Lucifer and Chloe exploring the more smutty aspects of their relationship, while Maze and Ella find love of their own, Ezria deals with some unsettling changes and Lucifer has to make some pretty tough decisions in the wake of a new stint with mortality. This is post Season 3 AU that has no relation to Canon and lots of smut. Like, a little too much smut. [COMPLETE]</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Amenadiel &amp; Linda Martin (Lucifer TV), Chloe Decker/Lucifer Morningstar, Chloe Decker/Original Character(s), Dan Espinoza/Original Character(s), Ella Lopez/ Original Abel, Mazikeen/Original Character</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The View From The Observatory [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1366963</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>73</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>116</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chastity</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is the final part of the View from the Observatory Series. If you haven't read part one and two, please reads those first as this part starts off where the last one left off.</p><p>Follow me on Tumblr to get updated on this fic and others! https://hrfiction.tumblr.com/</p>
    </blockquote><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Lucifer and Chloe continue their relationship with a new problem, Amenadiel isn't taking too well to being told no, Abel tries to find his way in this new world without guidance, Mazikeen struggles with her own emotions, Natalie backtracks on leaving her job because of a new opportunity and Lucifer finds out being mortal isn't all it's cracked up to be. Oh, and Ezria and Calmos can't keep their hands off one another.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>-------</p><p>Inside the hotel room, Ezria and Calmos lay next to each other. Ezria still has his pants on, and Calmos lays only wearing a single pair of fresh, soft cotton briefs. They are holding each other, both unsure of what to do next.</p><p>Rather, each knows what they <em>want</em> to do, but both are unsure of what they<em> should</em> do. So, instead, they kiss.</p><p>They give each other small pecks that buy them time until the nervousness in their blood dissipates. Except it never does. It only grows stronger with each passing second until it becomes clear that someone has to make a move.</p><p>Ezria’s right hand is planted on the side of Calmos’ body, his fingertips cautiously toying with the elastic band of his underwear again.</p><p>Calmos feels Ezria’s fingers playing with the elastic and pulls away before looking down to watch Ezria’s hands. They both turn their heads, and Ezria catches sight of the erection poking out the top of Calmos’ boxer briefs. He looks towards Calmos, and they lock eyes. Ezria turns his glance back down and allows his hand to slide down towards the bulging cotton.</p><p>Calmos watches his hand, his heart palpitating as it moves closer.</p><p>Ezria, in turn, watches Calmos. For a brief second, there is a flash of hesitation in Calmos’ eyes, unsure if this were okay.</p><p>When his palm meets the fabric of Calmos’ underwear, Ezria allows his grip to softly enclose his erection. The fabric of Calmos’ underwear is keeping Ezria from truly feeling Calmos, and Ezria decides quickly this won’t do.</p><p>Ezria lets go and slides his hand into the fabric of Calmos’ underwear. Here, he grabs the hot and rigid flesh between Calmos’ legs and begins to stroke him from inside his underwear. With each pull, it is clear that Calmos is “all-natural,” as the hairs between his legs tickle Ezria’s fingers.</p><p>Ezria notices a brief flash of discomfort in Calmos’ eyes, but Calmos doesn’t say anything. Ezria might not be familiar with touching another man this way, but he is familiar with touching a penis. He’s familiar with that look.</p><p>He takes his hand out of Calmos’ underwear and brings it up to his mouth before spitting into it. Then, he takes his closed hand and slides it back into Calmos’ briefs before allowing his saliva to ease his strokes.</p><p>The expression on Calmos’ face is different now. It’s the expression he wants to see.</p><p>“Mm,” Calmos hums, closing his eyes.</p><p>Ezria looks back at him, watching as Calmos momentarily takes in the feeling of Ezria’s hand fondling him. When Calmos opens his eyes, he is met with Ezria’s intense gaze.</p><p>“You have to say what you want,” Ezria says sternly, trying to make his suggestion sound less like a scolding.</p><p>“If it doesn’t feel right, you have to say it,” he says.</p><p>He picks up speed in his strokes, not giving Calmos the brainpower to respond. Instead, Calmos moans, his hand coming up to set itself on Ezria’s arm. Here, he can feel the muscles in Ezria’s biceps flexing with each new glide over his cock.</p><p>Calmos groans and turns his eyes to meet Ezria again. Here, they stare at one another, both aware that the balance between their restraint and control is tenuous at best. They are so close, and the excitement mixes with fear to the point neither knows which one this feeling is.</p><p>Ezria leans in and goes back to kissing him, his hand still keeping his grip on Calmos. Calmos moans into his mouth, making Ezria more eager as his body closer.</p><p>“My Lord,” Calmos moans.</p><p>“Don’t call me that,” Ezria says, his words stern but his voice needy.</p><p>Calmos looks at him, unsure of what Ezria wants. They stare at each other again, in a concentrated observation as Ezria continues to stroke him. Calmos isn’t sure if he should use the angel’s given name.</p><p>It feels wrong. Like he is unworthy.</p><p>“Say it,” Ezria says, seeing his name on the back of Calmos’ tongue.</p><p>He speeds up his strokes, Calmos’ body starting to respond by naturally thrusting into his hand. Calmos moans again. This time the moan is deep and comes from his gut. And on its back rides a need, as if he had been waiting his whole life for this and just couldn’t stand it any longer.</p><p>Ezria hears it and mistakes it for a different kind of need. It is need nonetheless, and Ezria’s passion overflows into the urgency.</p><p>Ezria leans in and kisses him, sticking his tongue into Calmos’ mouth as he attempts to pull his name out. Calmos moans into his kiss, and Ezria’s grip becomes stronger and faster. Calmos’ breathing becomes heavier as he starts to pant, his hips softly thrusting into Ezria’s hand on their own accord.</p><p>Ezria pulls away from him as Calmos’ eyes are shut, an intense concentration plastered on his face.</p><p>He hadn’t felt this kind of touch from another. He was willingly allowing himself to feel that, to jump off that cliff with someone else, and he needed it. He needed every graze and gaze. He needed every soft pant and every deep kiss.</p><p>“Ezria,” Calmos huffs, his breath hot against Ezria’s neck.</p><p>And just like that, the levy breaks, and any reluctance goes right out the window.</p><p>Quickly, Ezria separates from Calmos and reaches down to pull the fabric of Calmos’ underwear past his thighs. Then he scoots down as Calmos opens his eyes in time to see Ezria wrap his mouth around Calmos’ cock.</p><p>Calmos inhales sharply then lets out a loud groan.</p><p>“Ah,” he hisses as Ezria takes him all the way into his mouth, using his hand to stroke him as he pulls away so that no part of Calmos goes untouched at any time.</p><p>Calmos’ pubic hairs tickle his nose, but Ezria doesn’t seem too off-put by it.</p><p>Ezria was unfamiliar with doing this kind of act, but he knew the basics of it as he had been on the receiving end of this kind of pleasure many, <em>many</em> times. He was aware of what felt good and what didn’t.</p><p>He was aware of how his strokes and licks translated. And if the sounds Calmos is making are anything to go by, he’s convinced he’s pretty damn good at this.</p><p>Even more so, he is finding much more enjoyment in this than he does with a female demon. Perhaps because he knows what it feels like, or perhaps because it is Calmos. His eyes roam up to see Calmos’ face lost in his own ecstasy.</p><p>He would give anything to see him fall over that edge. To taste him.</p><p>Calmos gasps.</p><p>“My… my … Ezria,” he moans again, his brain doing too much thinking about what is appropriate to say for Ezria’s liking.</p><p>His mind is busy, and so are his hands as they grip and claw at the air. Calmos clearly has no idea what to do with them.</p><p>He wants to plant them on Ezria’s head, to hold him there, to thrust himself into Ezria’s mouth. Instead, he sets them on his chest, gripping the skin tightly as if needing to hold his hands down. Ezria’s mouth continues to rise and fall on his lap.</p><p>It’s warm and wet, and Calmos’ mind is on the verge of exploding at his newfound discovery.</p><p>Ezria takes his free hand and places it on Calmos’ abdomen before running it up his chest and back down, caressing everything his hand can touch.</p><p>The touch makes Calmos’ eyes roll into the back of his head, and suddenly the world around him melts.</p><p>Calmos’ breathing becomes heavier until he groans loudly, reaches out to grab the edge of the bed, and sits up. He springs up just as he climaxes to a shocked Ezria who had not expected it so soon.</p><p>He supposes that is the human in Calmos and that now might not be the best time to remind him of his nature.</p><p>Ezria’s shock is only temporary, however, as he lovingly continues to swallow and stroke Calmos through his climax. Calmos reels his hips up, trying to get himself further into Ezria’s grip as his muscles tense, and the strong pulse between his legs makes him release his seed into a pleased Ezria’s mouth.</p><p>Eventually, Calmos reaches out a hand and places it softly on Ezria’s head as he climbs down from his orgasm. He collapses back on the bed, his chest rising and falling as he catches his breath.</p><p>“That … that was <em>amazing</em>,” he says, every limb in his body tingling and warm.</p><p>His body felt heavy, but light at the same time.</p><p>Ezria hums warmly, taking his time to lick and pull every single drop from Calmos he can. Calmos turns to him, his body more sensitive with each passing second. When the pleasure turns into pain he taps Ezria’s hands.</p><p>Calmos groans, a pained expression on his face.</p><p>Ezria lets go of him, allowing Calmos’ dying erection to flop out of his mouth. He smacks and licks, pleased.</p><p>“That was … <em>faster</em> than I expected,” Ezria says, licking his lips.</p><p>Suddenly, the feeling of euphoria is dampened by shame and embarrassment.</p><p>Calmos came too quickly.</p><p>“I’m sorry my Lord,” he says sitting up, his eyes lowered, “it’s just that I’ve never-“</p><p>“I said don’t call me that,” Ezria says, his eyebrows furrowed.</p><p>“I’m sorry, I just-,” Calmos begins, suddenly filled with the desire to please him.</p><p>He wanted to please Ezria. To give him whatever it was he desired. He wanted it to be okay.</p><p>“No need to apologize,” Ezria says with a smirk, “It just means that it’s my turn now.”</p><p>“Oh,” Calmos says nodding, “Yes, of course.”</p><p>Calmos sits up and pulls the fabric of his underwear back around his waist.</p><p>“Leave it off,” Ezria says, “I want to see you get aroused again.”</p><p>Calmos looks at him cautiously and nods before standing and slowly slipping the cotton down his legs. He reaches down to pick it up and folds it delicately before setting it on a nearby table.</p><p>Meanwhile, Ezria climbs off the bed and reaches down to unbutton his pants. His pants fall, and the erection that was straining against the fabric bounces with pride between his legs. Ezria steps out of his pants and climbs onto the bed and lays down.</p><p>“Come,” Ezria says, reaching out a hand.</p><p>Calmos approaches and kneels on the bed before climbing over Ezria and lying next to him. Ezria pulls him into a kiss, allowing Calmos to taste himself on Ezria’s lips. Calmos isn’t sure he likes the taste but allows it. His attention seems more divided anyway as his hand reaches out and wraps curiously around Ezria’s erection.</p><p>It sends jitters of excitement and uncertainty through Calmos’ body. He begins to stroke Ezria, and Ezria hums displeased before pulling away from their kiss and turning his attention to Calmos’ hands. He reaches out and grabs Calmos’ hand. Calmos lets go, allowing his hand to be moved. Ezria brings Calmos’ hand up to his mouth and spits into it. Calmos grimaces, eliciting an amused chuckle from Ezria.</p><p>“It doesn’t feel good dry,” he says before returning Calmos’ hands to his cock.</p><p>Calmos wraps his fingers around Ezria again and begins to glide his closed fist around Ezria’s erection. Ezria hums before reaching down and wrapping his hand around Calmos’ hands, making him squeeze tighter.</p><p>“Firmer,” he says.</p><p>Calmos takes his lead and tightens his grip. Ezria leans his head back, letting go of Calmos’ hand as Calmos maintains the tightness around his cock.</p><p>“Mmm,” he hums, his hips thrusting into Calmos’ hands.</p><p>Calmos watches as Ezria uses his hands for pleasure. He watches as the head of his cock peeks through the opening of his fist, only to disappear again before reappearing moments later.</p><p>Calmos’ breathing increases as the waning erection he had begins to come back in full force. Calmos turns his eyes back to Ezria as Ezria looks down and watches as he fucks Calmos’ hand.</p><p>His eyes drift to Calmos’ rising erection and smiles.</p><p>He pulls his arm behind Calmos and pulls him closer, close enough that his left hand moves down and begins to playfully toy with Calmos’ testicles.</p><p>Calmos turns his glance down to Ezria’s hands, feeling his arousal growing ten times stronger.</p><p>“You want to try sucking it?” he hears Ezria ask.</p><p>Calmos turns his eyes back to Ezria, both sharing a look of uncertainty. Calmos nods, still somewhat timid, and sits himself up on the bed. He momentarily lets go of Ezria before positioning himself between Ezria’s legs.</p><p>He reaches out and grabs Ezria’s cock before lookup up at Ezria, with a nervous glance. Slowly, and with a slight reservation, he lowers his head and takes Ezria into his mouth.</p><p>Ezria hisses, “Teeth!” he says, “Watch your teeth.”</p><p>Calmos takes his mouth off Ezria.</p><p>“Sorry,” he says, “I-“</p><p>“It’s fine,” Ezria says, “just be careful.”</p><p>Calmos nods and repositions himself before opening his mouth wider and slowly taking Ezria into his mouth.</p><p>He looks up to Ezria for validation, and Ezria nods as he reaches out and holds the side of Calmos’ face.</p><p>“Now close it,” Ezria says.</p><p>Calmos then seals his lips around Ezria and takes him slowly in and out of his mouth.</p><p>Ezria watches him, his eyebrows furrowed.</p><p>Is this what the other demons like? Clearly, he thinks, they had steered poor Calmos wrong.</p><p>He was horrible at this.</p><p>Ezria had never done it either, but at least he knew not to use teeth.</p><p>Ezria pauses. Or maybe he <em>was</em> horrible at it, but Calmos wouldn’t let him believe he so.</p><p>Ezria turns his eyes back to Calmos, a displeased look on his face.</p><p>Even with his lips wrapped around his cock, Calmos is barely touching him. Ezria reaches down and holds onto Calmos’ cheeks, squeezing them a bit to add more pressure. Calmos takes the hint and tightens his seal.</p><p>“Yes,” Ezria says, tilting his head back, “Like that. Mmm.”</p><p>Calmos continues to suck, his hand stroking what he can’t fit into his mouth. Which, if he had to guess, is a lot more than he than it would be. It seems in this particular case, his eyes were a lot bigger than his stomach – or mouth. Calmos watches Ezria, eagerly awaiting his orders on what to do next. Ezria had made it easy, had been vocal about what he wanted. Calmos holds onto that direction as proverb. Without it, he is rather lost.</p><p>He had thought about this many times, what it would be like to have a cock in his mouth. The taste, the texture, the pleasurable noises from his partner. Yet somehow, despite his desire, he had never thought this would be a reality.</p><p>The demons in hell were gross in their behavior and unattractive in their personalities. And despite his eyes straying in the sweat pits, and temptation pulling at his bones, he always held steadfast. He always retired to the lagoon where privacy would allow him to tame his unfulfilled desires.</p><p>Still, his inaction didn’t mean his eyes never strayed. That he had never thought about just venturing into the pits and allowing all the erotic thoughts in his mind to take hold. In fact many times he had tried to do just that. He had ventured into the pits, his mind made up on experiencing this particular pleasure, only to find it lacking in what he truly wanted.</p><p>So instead, Calmos had watched them. He had allowed himself to peek from the corner of his eyes in the sweat pits to see what they did. To see how they licked and touched and stroked one another. He had learned from them, in theory, all he needed to know to make another squirm beneath his touch. But he is finding that sex, in theory, was much different in practice.</p><p>It was one thing when he pleasured himself in the privacy of the lagoon, the place where no other demon could fit, and he was free to let his mind wander. To imagine himself being the best. To imagine his lover writhing beneath his touch and exposing the talent of his lips, or hands.</p><p>But here, in this hotel room, it was clear he was ill-prepared for the truth of sex.</p><p>It was gritty, and his jaw had no practice of staying open so wide for so long. Ezria was much bigger than most of the demons he had seen. He could probably have managed them, but … this? He believes he might need much more practice. And mouth stretching.</p><p>It wasn’t all bad, however. Reality offered things his imagination couldn’t... imagine. Things like the feel of Ezria’s mouth on him, or the sound of his moans. Things like the smell of his flesh; warm and inviting.</p><p>He briefly wonders if he should have done it sooner, if he should have given in. If she should have been like the other demons and just let it happen. It turns out, having sex wasn’t a big deal. He didn’t feel different. There was no celebration or metamorphosis.</p><p>God certainly didn’t come down and whisk him off somewhere else because he chose to abstain.</p><p>He could have done so much. So much time wasted in fantasy and fiction when all he had to do was visit the sweat pits. All he had to do was take up the offer of several demons. Maybe that is why they thought him weak? Because he cared. Because he didn’t want just a quick fuck.</p><p>A quick fuck would have satiated his desire in that moment, sure, but it would have only left him feeling empty.</p><p><em>Used</em>.</p><p>Feeling.</p><p>His eyes wander, despite his mouth continuing its due diligence.</p><p><em>I suppose that is the human in me</em>, he thinks. That he would care how he felt after sex.</p><p>He scoffs at himself. <em>Feelings.</em></p><p>He had missed out on so much sex, so much pleasure because of them.</p><p>And now he was doing a horrible job because he had no experience.</p><p>What would Ezria think of him? What if he lost interest? Ezria had said he was fond of him, no? He had said it himself.</p><p>Ezria grunts, bringing Calmos back to the moment.</p><p>Somehow Ezria had given him hope and comfort that he wouldn’t feel used afterward. And so here he was, his lips wrapped around the head of Ezria’s cock. His eyes staring up at him in reverence, wanting to please him in any way possible. But he had never done this before.</p><p>All that theory and no practice.</p><p>Calmos narrows his eyes.</p><p><em>So much</em> theory.</p><p>He had seen so much. He had seen the rolling bodies and heard the passionate moans. He had seen other men filling each other with their seed and tempting each other’s bodies past the edge of control.</p><p>
  <em>So much theory. </em>
</p><p>He wanted to practice.</p><p>He wanted Ezria to <em>let </em>him practice.</p><p>What would those demons do?</p><p>Calmos’ eyes dart around for a moment, searching his mind for the answer.</p><p>When he’s found it, he looks up at Ezria to find Ezria staring back at him.</p><p>“You look like you aren’t having a good time,” Ezria says, frowning.</p><p>“Do you want to do something else?” Ezria asks.</p><p>He pops Ezria out of his mouth and begins to stroke him.</p><p>“No. May I … try something?” Calmos says, no longer finding Ezria’s coddling a haven but a hindrance.</p><p>He had needed it, when his mind was struggling to understand what was happening. Now his authority, even in this moment, was annoying.</p><p>Ezria chuckles and nods.</p><p>“I am yours to do as you wish,” he says.</p><p>Calmos turns his eyes back to Ezria’s cock, his eyes trying to remember what he saw in the sweat pits. He is thinking, and suddenly he has it, the idea in his head.</p><p>He continues to stroke Ezria before moving back on the bed and tipping Ezria’s penis towards Ezria. Here, he lowers his head so that his extended tongue can playfully lick on of Ezria’s testicles. Ezria watches him, a grin on his face.</p><p>Calmos leans forward and sucks a testicle into his mouth. Here he rolls it around on his tongue while his hand continues to stroke Ezria.</p><p>Ezria groans in response and leans his head back. He is liking this.</p><p>Calmos, spurred on by the noises Ezria is making, pops that testicle out of his mouth and moves to the other one. Here he sucks it into his mouth and rolls it around softly with movements of his tongue. His hand stays steadfast, a strong grip sliding up and down Ezria’ shaft.</p><p>“Mm,” Ezria says, his hips gently thrusting with each stroke.</p><p><em>Maybe I had judged too soon</em>, Ezria thinks.</p><p>Calmos was horrible at fellatio, but this … this was <em>lovely</em>.</p><p>Calmos diligently sucks and licks the testicle in his mouth before popping it out and tracing his tongue around the fleshy orbs. Ezria spreads his legs, giving Calmos more room to play.</p><p>“It seems as though you prefer the testes,” Ezria says smiling.</p><p>Calmos doesn’t respond, he just continues to lick and suck. Ezria seems to like it, and that’s all that matters.</p><p>Calmos stops his toying with Ezria’s testicles and moves up to pop Ezria back into his mouth.</p><p>“Teeth!” Ezria hisses.</p><p>Calmos opens his jaw wider and tightens his seal on Ezria.</p><p>“I don’t know what those demons taught you,” Ezria says chuckling, “but please do keep in mind I do<em> not</em> find teeth pleasurable.”</p><p>Calmos looks up at him with narrowed eyes. Ezria groans.</p><p>“Yes,” he nods before sitting his head back, his hips starting to thrust again.</p><p>Calmos takes Ezria’s cock out of his mouth and strokes it, keeping a firm grip as he pushes the loose skins over the tip and then down to the base.</p><p>He speeds up the pace of his strokes, maintaining that grip.</p><p>“Yes,” Ezria says, beginning to pant, his hips thrusting to meet the rise and falls of Calmos’ hand.</p><p>Calmos scoots back down, ready to take another testicle into his mouth. Ezria sees him moving and spreads his legs, giving him greater access. It is here Calmos lays eyes on the sensitive rosebud between Ezria’s legs. He furrows his eyebrows.</p><p>If Angel’s didn’t need to eat, why did they need an anus?</p><p>He stores that question away for another time and leans down, going back tonguing Ezria’s testicles, shifting them gently enough that he begins to notices their rise and fall. He turns his eyes up to Ezria to find his eyes shut, concentrating.</p><p>Ezria’s hand is busy pinching the hard and protruding nipples on his otherwise flat chest.</p><p>Calmos turns his eyes back down, then moves back as he switches hands. His eyes fall back onto Ezria’s anus and finds himself more curious than he should be. He thinks for a moment then turns his eyes to Ezria.</p><p>Ezria isn’t looking at him, and he feels an influx of bravery in his exploration. With only a little hesitation, he moves his head back down. Except this time, his tongue moves past Ezria’s testicles and starts to lick around the sensitive and tight hole.</p><p>He had seen demons do this in the pits, and they seemed to like it.</p><p>Immediately, Calmos gets a response as Ezria tosses his head back, and a strange moan comes from his mouth. He spreads his legs even wider, giving Calmos greater access.</p><p>Calmos takes it as a sign and continues to lick, allowing his tongue to travel around and even sink into Ezria’s body.</p><p>“Yes! … ohh,” Ezria says, grabbing his cock and taking over for Calmos.</p><p>Calmos lets go of him, not wanting to fight with Ezria. Ezria’s eyes are closed tightly, and he is frantically jacking himself. Calmos places a hand on either of Ezria’s thighs and pushes them back, giving him greater access.</p><p>Ezria takes it as a hint and helps by pulling his knees to his chest and wrapping his arms around his legs. Here, he goes back to stroking himself as his arms keep his legs back.</p><p>“Yes,” Ezria breathily says, his eyes tight.</p><p>This was his favorite spot to be touched. He had discovered it in the sweat pits, when the female demons were not shy about their exploration of his body.</p><p>They had licked and poked him here to rave reviews. It was the only benefit of his sexual awakening in hell. No one there seemed to bat an eye at any request, even ones he was too shy to ask for. Not now though, Ezria knew what he wanted and was not afraid to ask.</p><p>“Go on then, put a finger in me,” he says, his breath heavy.</p><p>Calmos looks up at him and pauses.</p><p>“Uh,” he says, a slight reservation in his voice, “okay.”</p><p>Ezria sits up, remembering the bottle Lucifer had given him.</p><p>“Here, use this,” he says as he momentarily puts his legs down and reaches for the bottle on the floor, hidden behind a pile of Calmos’ clothing.</p><p>He hands it to Calmos, and Calmos looks at it oddly.</p><p>“What is this?” he asks.</p><p>“It will help,” Ezria says, turning over and getting on his knees, presenting himself to Calmos.</p><p>Calmos looks like a lost hitchhiker who got in the wrong car and is suddenly realizing he is about to be murdered.</p><p>“Uh, okay,” he says.</p><p>He opens the cap to the bottle slowly and scoots up towards Ezria who is kneeling on the bed, ass up with his hand slowly stroking himself.</p><p>He tilts the bottle and allows it to drip directly onto Ezria’s asshole. It is more liquid than he intended it to be, and it drips down the back of Ezria’s testicles and onto the bed.</p><p>Quickly, in an attempt to salvage it, he brings a hand up and pulls the liquid the way from Ezria’ testicles to his anus. Here he spread the liquid around, eliciting a moan from Ezria as he continues to stroke himself quickly.</p><p>He seems to <em>really</em> enjoy this.</p><p>“My Lord, are you sure about this?” he asks.</p><p>“Calmos. <em>Don’t</em> call me that,” Ezria says turning around, “and yes. I’ll do it to you when we are done. You’ll like it, I promise.”</p><p>Calmos sighs and caps the bottle before setting it down next to him.</p><p>He had seen this done inside the sweat pits too, and - frankly - he had no idea how this would translate to pleasure. He had tried it once on himself in the lagoon and only found it painful and messy.</p><p>Still, Ezria seemed to enjoy it, and he supposes that is all that mattered.</p><p>He rubs his hand around Ezria’s anus, the slick liquid covering his fingers now. Gently, he rubs Ezria’s anus before adding pressure and allowing the tip of his index finger to slowly sink in. Ezria lets out a moan, and Calmos’ stare of reluctance turns into a deep fascination as he first feels the warmth of Ezria’s insides.</p><p>It is followed by the sensation of pressure, the tight grip Ezria’s body has on his finger.</p><p>His finger sinks deeper, and Ezria gasps in delight.</p><p>“Am I hurting you?” Calmos asks, stopping to check in with Ezria, a look of concern on his face.</p><p>Ezria shakes his head before planting it into the pillow beneath him ,” No, keep going,” he huffs.</p><p>Calmos furrows his brow then turns back to what he is doing. He continues to add pressure until Ezria’s body gives away, and Calmos finds his finger all the way up to the knuckle.</p><p>“Ohhh,” Ezria moans, his hand wildly stroking himself.</p><p>Calmos is shocked by how quickly that all happened. It is clear Ezria has done this before.</p><p>Calmos pauses.</p><p>Now what?</p><p> </p><p>He turns his eyes back to Ezria. He has his eyes completely shut and is stroking himself with great urgency.</p><p>Calmos opens his mouth to say something but decides against it.</p><p>That would make him look foolish.</p><p>He didn’t want to look foolish.</p><p>He turns his eyes back to the finger planted deep inside of Ezria. Again, a curiousness falls over him as he registers the warmth of Ezria’s body. His insides felt warm, and soft, and smooth.</p><p>He slowly starts to move his finger, feeling the suction of Ezria’s insides as it tries to hold on.</p><p>Ezria groans, “Oh …Calmos,” he moans.</p><p>It sends a tingle down to Calmos’ crotch. He uses his free hand to grab himself, his erection strong and proud. He begins to stroke himself before turning his attention back to Ezria’s backside.</p><p>He slowly slides his finger in and out, taking in how much Ezria’s body refuses to let him go. A look of reservation falls into a look of hunger, of curiosity, of want.</p><p>Calmos thinks of all the times he’s witnessed a male demon laying with another male demon. He wondered how that would feel, why they enjoyed it so much, sex where their excrement comes out.</p><p>Now get he gets it. Ezria’ body is warm and inviting. It’s tight and Ezria seems rather eager to be filled. Calmos’ chest rises and falls with the idea.</p><p>He wanted to know what Ezria felt like.</p><p>“Ezria?” he asks, his voice breathy and timid.</p><p>“Mmm,” Ezria hums, his concentration only on the digit inside of him.</p><p>Calmos turns back to the finger inside of Ezria.</p><p>“Might I add another?” he asks.</p><p>Ezria nods enthusiastically. Calmos removes his finger just enough that he can fit his middle finger beside his index finger. Then he goes back to applying pressure, the fluid on his hands making it easier. Ezria stops stroking himself, completely focused on what is happening to his body as Calmos slowly inserts two fingers.</p><p>“<em>Heavens</em>,” he exclaims, his body slightly jerking forward as he reaches out and steadying himself on the sheets beneath.</p><p>Calmos turns his eyes to Ezria. Ezria braces himself, his eyes tight but not with pain, with pleasure. Calmos gets the feeling two fingers is a new thing.</p><p>Calmos slowly moves his fingers in and out of Ezria as Ezria moans, his moans strangely higher pitched.</p><p>He seems to be enjoying this <em>a lot.</em></p><p>Calmos pats himself on the back for doing a good job, his back straight in instant pride. This was fun.</p><p>Sex was fun.</p><p>As he stares at the scene before him, at his fingers slowly gliding in and out of Ezria and at Ezria vigorously stroking himself, he can only think of one thing.</p><p>
  <em>He wants to know what it feels like.</em>
</p><p>Calmos swallows and clears his throat.</p><p>“Ezria?” he says again.</p><p>“Mmm?” Ezria hums, his eyes shut as a tingle runs down to his feet.</p><p>Two fingers felt divine. He definitely needs to do this more often.</p><p>“Might I suggest something else?” Calmos asks.</p><p>“I like this,” Ezria says breathily, “Don’t stop this.”</p><p>“Yes, but what if I …uhm,” he says, “If I used myself. You know, instead of my fingers.”</p><p>Ezria stops his strokes, and the room is silent. He turns his head back towards Calmos and stares at him. They stare at one another, as if a bubble around both of them had just burst, and they were left covered in chewed and flavorless gum.</p><p>“You want to fuck me?” Ezria asks, already knowing the answer but needing to say it out loud, as if it had registered to him how absurd that might be.</p><p>Ezria was clearly the one who would be penetrating Calmos, right?</p><p>Calmos nods.</p><p>Ezria’s eyes dart back and forth, thinking about it. He had never been penetrated before. He had only done the penetrating, used the demon women for his own pleasure. He supposes this was par for the course with being with another man. And by comparison, Calmos<em> was</em> the smaller of the two. He imagines Calmos being penetrated might be … <em>work</em>.</p><p>This seemed the more logical of the two, for now at least.</p><p>“…okay,” he says, his voice unsure.</p><p>“Yeah?” Calmos asks, a smile coming to his face.</p><p>Ezria nods, convincing himself, “Okay, sure,” he says.</p><p>Calmos nods and slowly withdraws his fingers.</p><p>Then he kneels, positioning himself behind Ezria, his hands on Ezria’s buttocks. He pulls Ezria close and reaches down to position himself at Ezria’s backdoor. He leans forward and places the head of his cock on Ezria’s anus before bearing down.</p><p>Immediately Ezria collapses forward.</p><p>“Ow!” he screams, reaching back and covering his anus.</p><p>Calmos raises his hands, unsure of what he did.</p><p>“I didn’t-“he begins.</p><p>“You have to use the bottle,” he says, pointing to the bottle of clear liquid.</p><p>Calmos turns around and looks at the bottle.</p><p>“Oh,” he says, “Sorry!”</p><p>He leans back and grabs the bottle before undoing the cap.</p><p>Ezria stares at him, not interested in feeling that particular pain again.</p><p>“Turn around,” Calmos says, a brief annoyance that Ezria is looking at him like that.</p><p>“You have to use it on you too,” Ezria says.</p><p>“Oh,” Calmos says, “Right. Yes, of course.”</p><p>He shakes his head, feeling stupid. Of course, he needed the slick fluid. Ezria had already told him it didn’t feel good dry.</p><p>He turns the bottle over and reaches a handout to let a small puddle of the liquid fall into his open hand. He takes the bottle and hands it to Ezria.</p><p>Ezria accepts it and takes a little bit of the fluid himself, rubbing it on his backside as Calmos covers his cock. It’s a little too much and drips off the tip of his penis. He catches it with his other hand just as Ezria turns and goes back into kneeling. Calmos watches him before reaching out and rubbing his asshole again, getting the extra fluid all around and even pressing into him, making sure there is some inside too.</p><p>Just in case.</p><p>“Okay,” Ezria says, as if they were about to start a life-saving fuel generator during the zombie apocalypse, and one wrong move would kill everyone.</p><p>Calmos sets himself up behind Ezria again, his hand resting on Ezria’s buttocks. He leans in and presses the head of his cock against Ezria before slowly bearing down. This time he goes slower, and Ezria grunts. Calmos’ eyes dart back and forth between Ezria and his cock, watching. Waiting for him to reel back again. Except this time, he doesn’t.</p><p>Calmos continues his slow pressure until the head of his cock is inside of Ezria. It’s warm, and the liquid makes it wet. He continues his slow pressure, sliding in bit by bit until suddenly Ezria’s body opens up and Calmos slides the rest of the way in.</p><p>“Oh,” they both moan in unison.</p><p>Ezria reaches back down and begins to stroke himself again.</p><p>Calmos places his palms flat on either side of Ezria’s ass before slowly thrusting himself deeper into him.</p><p>“Fuck,” Ezria exclaims, but it isn’t a painful exclamation.</p><p>It’s the sound of someone who hadn’t expected something to feel this good.</p><p>Calmos hears him, but tt’s hard to hear past his own panting and the alarms in his head ringing. The voices in shock at how good this feels. The voices asking him why he hasn’t done this sooner. He continues to piston in and out of Ezria, gently at first. Eventually, he is thrusting hard and Ezria’s moans fill the room.</p><p>“Yes,” Ezria grunts, “oh sweet-”</p><p>He strokes himself frantically, unable to finish that sentence as a spot inside of him being touched that would make even God blush. Ezria briefly wonders if his father is watching him. Judging him for being with another man.</p><p><em>It’s his fault,</em> he thinks, <em>for making it feel this good.</em></p><p>Calmos grunts before leaning forward against Ezria. Here, he continues to pump in and out of Ezria as Ezria starts to push back. The springs in the bed begin to creak as they both try to get Calmo deeper than he already is.</p><p>“Ohh,” Ezria says, strained.</p><p>“Yes!” Ezria exclaims, right before he explodes into a ball of a million lights. Or, at least it feels like he is exploding as Ezria climaxes and dumps a load of semen on to the sheet beneath him. He continues to stroke himself as Calmos continues his thrusting behind Ezria.</p><p>“Oh,” Ezria says again, on the back of what sounds like crying.</p><p>The kind of crying one does when even cumming doesn’t make it stop. The feeling of being full, of having that spot hit the right way.</p><p>Behind him, Calmos continues to thrust into Ezria. At this point he is almost completely unaware that Ezria is even in the room, oddly enough. He is so focused on his own feeling and letting himself go. He moans louder, his panting taking over for normal breathing. He reaches out with both hands and holds firmly onto Ezria’s waist, pulling him closer, trying to get himself deeper. He thrust hard, powerfully into Ezria as Ezria stops stroking himself and just holds onto the sheets, a strange sound coming from him.</p><p>“Mmm, Yesss,” Ezria hums holding onto the sheets and closing his eyes, concentrating on how it feels to have Calmos in him.</p><p>It was better than two fingers. It was touching a spot in him that makes him feel … <em>heavenly.</em></p><p>It radiates through his body, and he can feel it in his fingers. The fingers that tightly grip the sheets, the fingers he wants to splay out for fear the fire burning in them might burn the cotton beneath it.</p><p>He grips the sheets tighter, despite this, unable to control his need for stability as it feels he is coming undone. His eyes close tightly as the hair on his scalp tightens, and he is hit with another orgasm. At least it feels like an orgasm. He opens his eyes and looks down to find himself spilling more seed, despite not having touched himself.</p><p>“Yesss,” Ezria hisses as cums again onto the sheets below him as he clutches the pillow and arches his back, wanting more of Calmos in him.</p><p>“Oh Calmos,” he moans, the name falling from his lips effortlessly as he stops ejaculating.</p><p>Calmos continues to plunge himself into Ezria until he too turns that corner and climaxes, sending hot streams of warmth radiating through Ezria’s insides. Calmos collapses on top of him as Ezria collapses to the bed beneath, falling into his own mess.</p><p>It was something he was used to, he had done it several times in the cage, but this time was different. He was warm, and not alone. Every inch of his body all the way to his fingertips was tingling, and it felt like he was floating.</p><p>Calmos lays on top of Ezria, his cock still firmly lodged inside of Ezria’s body. He pants, worn out, but his hips still grind themselves into Ezria. Trying to get every drop out of him. They lay there for a moment before Calmos pulls away, slowly peeling himself from Ezria. When they are separated, Calmos lands on his back in the empty spot on the bed next to Ezria.</p><p>They lay in silence for a moment. Both unsure of what to say next. Now that their eyes aren’t glazed in lust, and they are faced with the evidence of what they have just done. Calmos slowly turns his face to Ezria, the reality of what he’s just done hitting him like a brick wall.</p><p>Ezria catches his eyes. Ezria still looks as though he is in the fog of his orgasm, but he recognizes the clarity in Calmos’ eyes.</p><p>It looks and feels familiar.</p><p>They say nothing.</p><p>They stare at each other for a long time, both unsure of what to say. Now that it was gone, that tension between them. Ezria had got what he wanted, and so had Calmos.</p><p>They stare, Ezria’s eyebrows becoming more furrowed by the second.</p><p>Suddenly he tilts his head.</p><p>“What is it with you and teeth?” he asks, a sincere curiosity behind his eyes.</p><p>Calmos smiles then bursts into a fit of laughter. Ezria looks at him, unsure of what about that was funny.</p><p>Eventually, he smiles too, the laughter being contagious. He turns onto his back, peeling himself away from the mess he made on the bed and sits up.</p><p>“I’ve never done that before,” Ezria says, “It was … quite exceptional. I believe I would like to do that more often.”</p><p>Calmos nods, “Me too.”</p><p>They both stare at the ceiling, the silence now comfortable and calm.</p><p>Eventually, Ezria sits up and slides off the bed before heading to the bathroom. Calmos hears the sound of the shower cut on and turns his head to the sticky mess left on the bed.</p><p>He narrows his eyes.</p><p>He didn’t feel any different.</p><p>Was it silly of him to think that he should? Demons certainly had no regard for virginity but …</p><p>Part of him feels like he should.</p><p>He just had sex.</p><p>He just lost his virginity.</p><p>He was a man now.</p><p>Why didn’t he feel any different?</p><p>-----------</p><p>It is morning in Linda Martin’s home, and - if her empty living room, bedroom, and kitchen are a testament - she is alone. That seems to embolden her to hold her own private concert in the shower.</p><p>In the bathroom, the shower is hot and steamy, and just the perfect temperature to wake and prepare her for the day.</p><p>“Just like the white-winged dove,” she sings, holding the body wash bottle up to her mouth, “sings a song sounds like she’s singing.”</p><p>“Ooo,” she sings, turning to grab the loofah.</p><p>“Ooo,” she sings again, turning back to the faucet.</p><p>“Ooo!” she sings again, her hips getting into the mix.</p><p>Her singing echoes through all three rooms.</p><p>“Just like the white-winged dove, sings a song sounds like she’s singing~” she continues, pouring body wash onto the loofah.</p><p>“Oooo, baby,” she sings, turning to set the body wash into a rack with her shampoo and conditioner.</p><p>“Oooo,” she says, turning back to the showerhead and foaming up her loofah.</p><p>Suddenly the shower door opens, and a clothed Amenadiel enters, wrapping his arms around her.</p><p>“Ooo- Oh!” she yells, frightened.</p><p>When she realizes it’s Amenadiel, she calms down. Then she realizes he has on his clothing and is being drenched in water.</p><p>“Amenadiel?” she asks as she reaches out and cuts the shower off.</p><p>He stands there silently, holding onto her, his body curled to match her height.</p><p>She taps his arm, trying to get him to pull away from her. She can’t see his face, but by how tightly he is holding her, she can sense it.</p><p>Something is wrong.</p><p>“Amenadiel, what’s wrong?” she asks, trying to pull him away so she can see his eyes.</p><p>He just holds onto her like she were his only lifeline. Then she hears it, the soft whimpering. Her eyebrows furrow, she doesn’t think she’s ever heard him cry like this.</p><p>“Oh, Amenadiel. What’s wrong?” she says again, her words more urgent, more concerned.</p><p>“He’s going to kill him!” Amenadiel says, anger and sadness behind his words</p><p>“He’s going to kill him, and there’s nothing I can do,” he says, defeated.</p><p>“Wha- kill who?” Linda says.</p><p>“Lucifer,” he says, pulling her tighter.</p><p>She drops the loofah and reaches her arms out to hold him. She starts to rub his back, fear and concern in her eyes.</p><p>She wants to ask who, but she already has a stark idea of who it could be.</p><p>
  <em>God wanted to kill Lucifer? </em>
</p><p>She holds him tight, the fear and concern in her eyes starting to grow. She tries to wrack her mind for something to say, for something to comfort him, but she doesn’t have anything. She is stumped.</p><p>Which is a first for someone used to having all the answers.</p><p>----------------</p><p>Natalie Edwards is oddly tranquil in her sleep. Without the piercing gaze and the permanent resting bitch face, there is an odd innocence to her. Her hair is curly – though not impossibly curly – and falls onto her face like a frame on a portrait.</p><p>It is a stark contrast from the usually well put together and ordered Natalie. She breathes softly and rhythmically, one hand above the pillow near her face and the other slid beneath it.</p><p>Despite the trauma of having her secret revealed, a pending resignation from the job she loves, and having to watch her heartbreak in slow motion, she seems relaxed and comfortable.</p><p><em>Peaceful</em> even.</p><p>Suddenly, the body on the other side of Natalie rolls over, and with it comes an extended hand that rises in the air and falls on to Natalie’s face. The impact is loud – audible – and it stirs a peaceful Natalie into a spooked Natalie.</p><p>Like a feral cat trapped in a car.</p><p>She immediately opens her eyes, the fog of sleep only slightly covering the intense fight response in her system. In one full swing pulls the butterfly knife located beneath her pillow out and spins around to be faced with an equally confused and shocked Maze.</p><p>Maze looks around for a moment, her lips smacking as she wakes. This isn’t her bed.</p><p>They stare at one another, immediate confusion in their eyes.</p><p>Maze is the first to understand what is going on, sleep wearing off quickly.</p><p>“Really?” she asks, annoyed, staring at the knife.</p><p>As if <em>that </em>would do anything to her.</p><p>Natalie is frozen and just stares at Maze, the knife still extended in her hands and the wheels turning behind her eyes.</p><p>Then, the previous night’s events come crashing into her memory, and her eyes drop from a sleepy confusion to instant regret.</p><p>Maze’s eyes drift down to a topless Natalie. Her eyes brows raise, and she smiles to herself.</p><p>“Oh,” she says pleased as the events of the night before flood back to her.</p><p>Natalie immediately reaches down, careful not to stab herself with her knife, and pulls the covers tightly around her, hiding her nude body. She gathers the sheets and rolls off the bed, putting distance between her and Maze.</p><p>“This is not good,” she says.</p><p>Maze leans up on her elbows and smiles, “Looks great from my angle.”</p><p>“No, no,” Natalie says, shaking her head, “This was a mistake.”</p><p>Maze grins, licking her teeth as a lust starts to seep into her eyes. The events of the night are flooding back into her head, and she is happy to have the visuals.</p><p>“Some mistake,” she says sighing, “You know, you may not be a demon, but you sure are a demon in the sack. I mean, I haven’t cum like that in a while. You humans are usually bad at sex – no offense.”</p><p>Natalie pauses, a confusion behind her eyes as she wonders if she should take offense to that.</p><p>“I- ,” she says, trying to find the words.</p><p>She shakes her head, settling on the idea that any conclusion she could come to needed to happen alone. She needed to get Maze <em>out</em> of her apartment so she could think.</p><p>“You, you should go,” she says, pulling the sheets up to her body.</p><p>She thinks this is the first time she’s had to kick anyone out. Usually, they leave quickly and with minimal provocation.</p><p>Maze chuckles to herself at Natalie’s behavior and shrugs, “Alright,” she says.</p><p><em>This was not happening, right?</em> Natalie thinks.</p><p>This was some joke. Her memories are some sort of alcohol-fueled imagination and not something that <em>actually</em> happened.</p><p>Maze casually tosses the sheets off her body, revealing the several bite marks, scratches, and deep hickeys on her chest, neck, and various other parts of her body. They are healing much faster than they should be, but they are still very much visible.</p><p>Natalie inhales sharply.</p><p>
  <em>It was real.</em>
</p><p>Maze looks down at the marks on her body and smiles, “Mmm,” she says nodding, remembering that as well, “Yeah, you’re fun. You know how hard you gotta suck to leave a hickey on me?”</p><p>Natalie blushes and shakes her head, “I … well, clearly I was drunk,” she says.</p><p>Maze shoots her a knowing glance, “Uh-huh,” she says.</p><p>Maze slowly bends down, taking no interest in hiding herself from Natalie’s eyes. She stands up and reaches down to pick up her underwear. It is the first piece of a clothing line that trails from the bedroom and out the door into the living room.</p><p>Natalie watches her, or tries not to watch her, but based on last night’s antics, it was clear Maze had the body to put up with everything she could dole out.</p><p>“Just so you know,” Maze says as she steps forward to pick up a pair of leather pants, “I’m not a relationship type person. I had a great time last night but … sex is just sex.”</p><p>“Agreed, glad we are on the same page, Ms. Smith,” Natalie says.</p><p>Maze looks up towards Natalie as she buttons her pants.</p><p>“I think at this point <em>Ms. Smith</em> is too formal, call me Maze,” she says with a smile, her eyes cascading down Natalie’s body and daring to remember what was beneath it.</p><p>“Ms. Smith … I …,” Natalie begins as Maze walks out of the bedroom, eyeing a shirt on the ground near the sofa.</p><p>Natalie follows her, keeping a distance.</p><p>“Last night, I was in a strange emotional state, and I appreciate you being there to listen, but … I believe there may have been something lost in translation between you and me. I’m sure the alcohol didn’t help.”</p><p>Maze laughs and slips the shirt over her head before pulling her hair out of the neck hole and pulling the shirt down to her waist.</p><p>“Relax,” she says,” I get it. We fucked, it was a one-time thing. I’m no stranger to a one-night stand.”</p><p>Natalie straightens up and nods, “Okay,” she says, surprised at how easy Maze is taking this.</p><p>“Besides,” Maze says, turning to the door and grabbing her boots.</p><p>She slips her foot into one and begins to lace it up.</p><p>“Sex like that? Worth the awkward conversation in the morning,” she finishes.</p><p>“Right,” Natalie says, “and you aren’t making it any<em> less</em> awkward.”</p><p>Maze shrugs, “Not my job,” she says before turning to her other shoe and starting to lace it up.</p><p>She stands and reaches to grab her jacket off the counter before sliding it on.</p><p>“It was nice knowing you Ms. Smith,” Natalie says, “I hope our interlude last night won’t make the last two weeks of my job difficult.”</p><p>Maze smiles, fixes her hair, and walks over to Natalie with purpose. Natalie tilts her head, trying to figure out what is happening, and before she can process it, Maze reaches out and grabs the back of her head before pulling her into a deep, passionate kiss. It is quick, and over before Natalie has a chance to push her away. Maze then reaches out and smacks her ass, making her jump.</p><p>“Maybe next time you get drunk, I do you, yeah?” she asks, a knowing grin on her face.</p><p>“Ms. Smith!” Natalie says, not pleased.</p><p>Maze chuckles and turns to head for the door.</p><p>She raises her hand, waving goodbye as she says, “See you at work!” and without turning around walks through the door.</p><p>It shuts behind her, leaving Natalie standing there reeling.</p><p>
  <em>What the fuck just happened?</em>
</p><p><em>God,</em> did she really sleep with the bounty hunter? Fraternizing at work. She really stuck her foot in shit now, didn’t she?</p><p>She pauses, more events of the night rolling into her brain.</p><p>
  <em>Did she really quit her job? </em>
</p><p>Her eyes roll over to her bag as it starts to vibrate. She walks over, pulling a curly strand of hair behind her ear and then reaches in to find her phone – her black phone - ringing.</p><p>“Hello?” she asks as she answers.</p><p>“Lieutenant? This is Captain Davis,” a voice says.</p><p>She perks up immediately as if he were standing there in the room. He must have gotten her email and was calling to convince her to stay.</p><p>“Captain Davis, yes. This is Lieutenant Edwards. What are you – what can I do for you?”</p><p>“Well, I had some news for you and wanted to stop by in person, but … it seems you aren’t at your desk.”</p><p>“Oh,” she says, her heart beating fast as she pulls her phone away and looks at the time.</p><p>
  <em>Shit.</em>
</p><p>It was 9:30.</p><p>She overslept.</p><p>She puts the phone back to her ears.</p><p>“I uhm … I had to step out for a moment, but I’m on my way back,” she lies, reaching down and grabbing the bundle of sheets by her feet.</p><p>“Excellent, I will be waiting,” he says.</p><p>The line clicks, and she stands there, holding the phone in her hand.</p><p>“Shit,” she says, setting the phone on the counter.</p><p>“Shit, shit, shit,” she continues, before turning and shuffling into her bedroom.</p><p>----------------</p><p>Inside Lucifer’s bedroom, Lucifer - yet again - lays between Chloe’s legs. His hands are on either side of her head as his body uses gravity to thrust into her. His apartment <em>would</em> be silent if it weren’t for the clap of their bodies together and their unison release of moans and grunts.</p><p>“Don’t stop!” she whimpers, each thrust of his coming back wetter than the last.</p><p>“Please don’t stop,” she begs, the whine she is about to make getting caught in her throat.</p><p>Instead of a whine, she releases a high pitched squeak.</p><p>“Oh,” he chuckles warmly, “You should know me by now, Detective. As if I would.”</p><p>He stares down between them, his eyes focused on the action as his ears enjoy the sound of her breathy moans.</p><p>“I’m so close,” she whines, as if it were something new.</p><p>As if he didn’t constantly have her on the edge of a blackout orgasm.</p><p>He grins and turns back to her. He watches her face scrunch up in bliss and becomes more purposeful in his thrusts.</p><p>He watches her get close to another orgasm, and the thought pops into his head that he should try something different. He narrows his eyes, trying to imagine what she might like. He shifts his weight onto one hand, and with the other, he brings it up to her throat and grips it firmly.</p><p>She reaches a hand up almost instantly and locks her fingers around his, gently prying them away. His hand doesn’t move, though, as he turns his attention back to plunging in and out of her body.</p><p>“Lucifer,” she says in an unaroused, but patient, way.</p><p>Then he does the one thing he said he wouldn’t do. He stops.</p><p>He turns back to her as she taps his hand, the look in her eyes not pleased at all.</p><p>He removes his hand.</p><p>“I thought you might like that,” he says, “my apologies.”</p><p>She tosses him a soft smile and sits up forcing him to lean back and slide out of her. Here they switch the position of their bodies until he is laying on his back. She climbs on top of him, positions herself above him, and sinks down.</p><p>She begins to ride him, her hands pressed on his chest, and using his body as leverage to steady her rise and falls. He rests his head back and stretches his arms out, allowing her to completely use him for her own desires.</p><p>“You feel so good,” she whines as her grinding becomes more erratic.</p><p>He opens his eyes and is about to say something when he pauses. He lays there, staring up at her riding him, and suddenly he is met with such intense déjà vu that his head begins to feel light. It feels like the world is spinning, like he had somehow been here – in this exact same position- before. So much so that his brain has trouble figuring out if this is the present or the past.</p><p>He looks around, taking note of his penthouse. It isn’t night time, but everything he looks at only locks him further into the spinning in his head. Everything has been here before, he thinks.</p><p>“Lucifer,” she moans, getting close again.</p><p>He just stares up at her, his eyes wide as he tries to parse what is happening. Suddenly he gets a feeling in the pit of his stomach. His intestines gurgle and bubble so much that is forces her to stop. She can feel it beneath her hands. She turns to her eyes to him to see him staring at her like a deer in headlights.</p><p>“What?” she asks breathily, “are you okay?”</p><p>“I just had the most overwhe-“ he begins.</p><p>He pauses, nausea hitting him that takes his breath away. She can see it as his face turns a sickly pale green.</p><p>“Lucifer?” she asks.</p><p>Suddenly, he sits up, pushing her off him. She falls onto the bed as he gets up and runs into the bathroom. Seconds later, he is vomiting into the toilet.</p><p>Chloe stands up and approaches the bathroom.</p><p>“Lucifer!”</p><p>He gasps and gags as a black tar continues to fall from his mouth. It’s a strange sight to see a man with a massive erection upchucking into a toilet.</p><p>She approaches and kneels behind him, setting a hand on his back and rubbing it.</p><p>“Oh, Lucifer,” she says, sympathy in her voice.</p><p>“Don’t -“ he begins to say before another torrent of vomit flies out his mouth. She grimaces.</p><p>“I’m just glad you had the foresight to run to the toilet,” she says.</p><p>She rubs his back until he stops vomiting and gasping. He spits into the toilet before reaching and up and flushing. Then he turns and leans his back against the wall to catch his breath.</p><p>He stares at her, and she stares back at him, pity in her eyes.</p><p>“You okay?” she asks.</p><p>He shakes his head, “No.”</p><p>She sighs and stands up before heading to the sink and grabbing a washcloth from a nearby pile of linens. She wets it in the sink before approaching him and straddling him. She leans in and carefully wipes his mouth before turning and setting the rag on the lid of the toilet.</p><p>She turns back to him and drapes her arms around his neck.</p><p>“Do we need to talk to Amenadiel? That’s the second time you’ve vomited that black stuff.”</p><p>He shakes his head, “It’s nothing,” he says.</p><p>At least nothing that she can change. There is no point in making her worry about something she can’t fix.</p><p>She frowns.</p><p>“It’s <em>something</em> if it’s interrupting sex,” she says.</p><p>He shakes his head, “Detective, honestly.”</p><p>“Fine,” she says, sliding off of him, “if you don’t want to tell me that’s fine. I just wish you would.”</p><p>He lets go a sigh and lets his head hit the tile of the bathroom wall.</p><p>Her eyes trail back down to his still strong erection. She lets go a sigh and shakes her head.</p><p>“We need to get to work anyway. You keep distracting me with sex, and I’ll have to make a strict <em>‘I’ll meet you downstairs’</em> policy.</p><p>“Perhaps if you’d let me have my way with you for an entire night like I desire, you might find yourself with more time in the morning,” he says, lifting his head up.</p><p>She rolls her eyes.</p><p>“Though,” he says, his eyes descending her body, “I’d hate to skip the most important meal of the day.”</p><p>He pushes himself off the wall and is on top of her in an instant. She tries to surpress a pleased giggle but fails.</p><p>“Lucifer!” she says, trying to inject some of that displeasure she had moments ago into her words.</p><p>But it was hard … it was hard when he was hard. When she had gotten close twice now with no reward. And she was still unsatisfied.</p><p>He lays her flat on the rug in the bathroom. Here, he plants kisses on her stomach as he descends. As soon as she realizes what he intends to do she stops him.</p><p>“Ah,” she says, “do you uhm … mind?”</p><p>He looks up at her, confused.</p><p>“You did just threw up black stuff. I don’t imagine that is good for my pH balance.”</p><p>He scoffs, amused, and nods before standing and moving over to the sink. Here he grabs his toothbrush as she stands up behind him.</p><p>“Also, you have ten minutes, then we have to get to work so ….” she says, her eyes roaming down his body.</p><p>“I’ll be in the bedroom,” she says as he walks away.</p><p>He pauses and steps backwards as she walks and climbs onto the bed.</p><p>How did life get so … <em>good?</em></p><p>----------------</p><p>Inside her bedroom, Linda sits on her bed. She is draped in a fluffy white robe and beside her, and cradled in her arms, is a distraught Amenadiel.</p><p>She rocks him for comfort, her eyes betraying her own worry. She couldn’t offer him any words of wisdom. Many patients had thought God wanted to kill them or had killed a loved one, but Amenadiel wasn’t a regular patient. He didn’t just think, he<em> knew</em>.</p><p>What could she do? Or say?</p><p>She thinks, her hands stroking the back of his neck as he buries his face into her chest.</p><p>She tries to think of something but can’t offer anything. She has no experience in celestial matters. Even more, any words of comfort she could offer would be moot.</p><p>God <em>did</em> want Lucifer dead. He had apparently said it with his own lips.</p><p>How could she twist that into psychological feel-goods?</p><p>Her work was, in large part, the result of years of dedicated experience with the human mind. Amenadiel wasn’t human. She holds him tighter, finding herself unable to help him. He didn’t need a psychologist; he needed a priest.</p><p>She pauses and tilts her head slightly as she runs that thought in her mind. A priest was far more familiar with the world of God and Angels. If any of the bible were true, even a sliver, then they would have the language to help Amenadiel.</p><p>She reaches down and strokes the back of his head.</p><p>“Amenadiel?” she says, “I wish I could help you, I truly do but … this is <em>way </em>beyond the pale of my expertise.”</p><p>He pulls himself out of her arms, tears running down his cheeks.</p><p>“I don’t know what to do,” he says sadly, as if it were the first time he didn’t have a plan.</p><p>He didn’t have an idea of what God wanted.</p><p>He was … taskless.</p><p>She smiles softly at him and reaches up to wipe the tears away with her thumb.</p><p>“Maybe you should seek guidance from someone who has more experience with these type of things.”</p><p>He looks at her, unsure of what she is saying, but holding onto that answer like it were the one he sought. Any answer at this point would be better than none.</p><p>“Like who?” he asks.</p><p>“A priest, or a deacon, or some religious figure,” she says, “they have more experience with religion and God.”</p><p>Amenadiel reaches up and wipes the tears from his eyes as he thinks.</p><p>“Yeah,” he says, his eyebrows furrowing, “Yeah, they understand Father more than any mortal. Maybe they can help me understand how to talk some sense into him.”</p><p>“Well,” Linda says, cautioning Amenadiel against being hopeful.</p><p>She had meant to offer as a suggestion to soothe him, not to invigorate a wild goose chase.</p><p>He stands up, suddenly determined.</p><p>“Wait, Amenadiel!” Linda says, calling after him.</p><p>By then it’s too late, he’s already out the door. She groans and lets go a deep sigh.</p><p>That is not what she meant. Though she supposes any hope is better than none.</p><p>A hopeless angel is a sad sight.</p><p>----------------</p><p>A flustered Natalie scurries down the steps into the bullpen. When she hits the last step, she immediately becomes calm and collected and saunters to her office, where two men sit in front of her desk, talking and laughing. She looks <em>absolutely</em> terrified and slows her speed of walking to slow her breathing.</p><p>She had never been late to a day of work in her life. Even when she hated her job, she was early.</p><p>She walks, calm and collected, towards her office. When she reaches her office door, she puts on a fake smile, and the men turn to her.</p><p>“Ah, there she is,” says a heavy-set man standing up.</p><p>For a Captain, he has certainly seen better days in terms of his fitness.</p><p>“Lieutenant, you know Deputy Protos,” Captain Davis says, holding his hand out towards the sharply dressed man standing next to him.</p><p>Natalie nods and sets her bag on the desk, “Of course. Yes. My apologies for not being at my desk when you called. I hadn’t expected you today.”</p><p>She motions for them to sit, and they do. She sees her ID and key card on the desk and quickly picks it up before they mention it.</p><p>“To what to do I owe the pleasure of your visit?” she asks.</p><p>She sits in her chair and pulls herself up to her desk.</p><p>The Captain turns to Deputy Protos. They share a glance before the Deputy nods, instructing Captain Davis to break the news.</p><p>“Well, no doubt you are aware of the spike in crime we had the night before last,” he says.</p><p>Natalie nods, “Of course. All my officers were hands on deck, and still are as you can see.”</p><p>She turns her head to the bullpen, where officers still mill about, busy dealing with suspects.</p><p>The man nods, “Yes and with the rise in crime again last night, we –“</p><p>“Last night?” she asks, turning to them.</p><p>The man looks at her oddly, as if she should already know that.</p><p>“I … haven’t yet read my reports,” she clarifies, “I had to deal with a … homicide case this morning.”</p><p><em>A murder of a different variety</em>, she thinks.</p><p>The Captain nods, “Yes, well last night crime spiked again. We’ve had to outsource some of our casework to other departments, and the news is picking up on it.”</p><p>Natalie scoffs, disgusted, “The news.<em> Vultures</em>. All of them.”</p><p>“Mm,” the Deputy hums in agreeance.</p><p>“Either way, we need to secure the community’s confidence that we are doing everything possible considering the numbers we are looking at,” Captain Davis says.</p><p>“Agreed,” Natalie says, nodding, “The community needs to stay certain that we are here to help and serve them.”</p><p>“Which is precisely why we think <em>you</em> should be the one to make a statement about this issue at the press conference today.”</p><p>Natalie pauses.</p><p>“Pardon?” she asks, not sure if she’s heard that correctly.</p><p>“Your work here has reinvigorated a trust in the LAPD with the community. We don’t have to tell you how … <em>lacking</em> we have been in that department,” Deputy Protos says.</p><p>“We want to leverage that,” Captain Davis chimes in.</p><p>“I don’t think that … I don’t think <em>I</em> should be the one to give a press conference. I’m just a Lieutenant, there are others higher-” Natalie begins.</p><p>“and who best to give it than the Lieutenant of a well-run department? We’ve seen the numbers. You’ve really helped turn this place around.”</p><p>“Did you not get my email?” she asks.</p><p>They look at one another then turn back to her.</p><p>“What email?” Deputy Protos says, shaking his head.</p><p>Natalie just stares at them. She turns and reaches for her laptop.</p><p>“We could really use some positive messaging right now,” Captain Davis says, “We know you are busy here and wouldn’t take you away from work if it weren’t important.”</p><p>Natalie opens her laptop, and the second it boots up, she logs in and navigates to her email client. It pops up, and she goes to her sent messages to see the email isn’t there.</p><p>Maybe she forgot to hit send? She admits she got a little <em>distracted </em>last night.</p><p>“I’m on probation,” Natalie says, shaking her head, “I’m not even technically-“</p><p>She moves to her drafts folder and sees it empty as well. Her eyebrows furrow.</p><p>
  <em>What happened to her email?</em>
</p><p>“I see no reason why you should be on probation any longer,” the Deputy says, looking at the Captain.</p><p>The Captain nods.</p><p>“It’s all a formality at this point, “the Captain says, “we’ve seen enough to know that you are good for this department.”</p><p>Natalie looks at them oddly. It seemed like only two months ago they had pulled her out of her position as Detective to offer her the spot as the Lieutenant of a struggling precinct. She had thought it was odd because there were others that were far more deserving. But her ambition, her desire to prove something, was strong. She had expected to be on probation for much longer, but … now they want to make it official?</p><p>It seemed fast.</p><p>“I … I don’t know what to say,” Natalie says, very sure she does not want to lead this press conference, but also certain that an acceleration in the probationary period is not to be taken lightly.</p><p>“That’s the beauty of this whole thing,” The Captain says, turning to the deputy and nodding, “you don’t have to think. Just read. We’ve already emailed you what we want you to say. We’ll come gather you in an hour when the press conference is about to start.”</p><p>Both men stand, and Natalie just stares forward, her eyes wide.</p><p>She moves to check her inbox to find an email from them. It is a word for word copy of what she should say. They didn’t expect to hear a no from her.</p><p>“I ..”</p><p>“We shall see you then,” Deputy Protos says as they both exit.</p><p>Natalie stares forward.</p><p>She doesn’t want to upset her superiors or seem like she is not a team player when it comes to her job – the job she thought she had put in her notice for. The job she was prepared to leave her badge and ID with every night until they told her not to come in.</p><p>The job she had momentarily decided was less important than herself; than her mental fortitude.</p><p>She turns her eyes back to the email client.</p><p>
  <em>Where did her email go?</em>
</p><p>She checks her draft folder again, and her sent folder, but nothing is there.</p><p>She turns to see the Captain and Deputy ascend the staircase.</p><p>She can’t do a press conference.</p><p>Mistress’s clients would see her face next to her name, her <em>real </em>name.</p><p>If the shit hadn’t hit the fan yet, it would and she should get out while she still can. While she could pretend to have some dignity.</p><p>Yet …</p><p>She turns back to the email of what they want her to say.</p><p>A chance to be a real Lieutenant. One not handcuffed by the restraints of probation or trial periods? She had already done so much in the little time she was here.</p><p>Imagine what she could do with more time.</p><p>----------------</p><p>Inside Linda’s office, she stares out the window, a worried look on her face. A knock on the door brings her head out of the clouds, and she turns just as Lucifer enters.</p><p>“Lucifer,” she says, surprised to see him.</p><p>“Hello Darling,” he says, his words more cheerful than usual.</p><p>Usually, when he comes to see her, he is upset or, at the very least, annoyed.</p><p>Now he seems … happy.</p><p>“Is there something wrong?” she asks, moving from her spot by the window to her chair as Lucifer takes a seat on the couch.</p><p>“Are you feeling okay? How are you feeling?” she asks, an urgency behind her words that seems less like a greeting and more like genuine concern.</p><p>“Never been better,” he says with a smile.</p><p>He watches Linda sit, and his expression falls.</p><p>“Are you alright?” he asks, noticing she’s more … off, than normal.</p><p>“Hmm?” she says looking up at him, “Oh yeah I …I mean, yeah.”</p><p>Lucifer sighs and sits back, crossing his legs.</p><p>“Alright, out with it. Can’t very well talk to you about my own issue if you’re moping about.”</p><p>She narrows her eyes, unsure she likes his tone.</p><p>“Come on then! Let big daddy Devil fix your problems,” he says, with a smile,” Just so happens I’m feeling rather <em>generous </em>today.”</p><p>She stares at him for a second before it smacks her like a brick through a glass window.</p><p>“Ah,” she says snapping her head up.</p><p>“You and Chloe are having sex,” she says.</p><p>Lucifer chuckles warmly, “Bingo, or is it Yahtzee? Either way, I believe I am winning.”</p><p>“Mm,” Linda says watching him, “Well, you’re welcome.”</p><p>He tilts his head, “Pardon?”</p><p>“You’re welcome. I assume the whole talk I had with you knocked something loose.”</p><p>Lucifer scoffs and shakes his head, “That nonsense? No. I had a little chat with my Father.”</p><p>“Oh?” she asks, interested more than she normally is.</p><p>Lucifer nods, “Turns dear old dad thought since I enjoyed humans so much I should be one.”</p><p>Linda narrows her eyes and looks around as if she is trying to figure out what that means.</p><p>“Wha… like, you’re human?” she asks.</p><p>He smiles, “Two for two today, Doctor,” he says impressed, “Dare I say we are both rather lucky as of late.”</p><p>“Lucifer, human? Like … mortal?”</p><p>Lucifer nods.</p><p>Linda rolls her eyes and leans back in her chair as if it was all hitting her. Why Amenadiel was so upset.</p><p>“No wonder Amenadiel was so upset!” she says sighing, “Lucifer, you’re mortal. That means you can die.”</p><p>“I know what that means,” he says as if he were being talked to like a child.</p><p>“Why aren’t you freaking out?” Linda says, “because I’m freaking out. The devil. Human. I mean, do you realize how big of a deal that is?”</p><p>“Well I’m not human yet,” Lucifer says calmly.</p><p>“You aren’t?” Linda says.</p><p>“Still have my wings,” he says, a grin on his face.</p><p>She furrows her eyebrows, “You do?”</p><p>He nods, “Yes, and the Detective <em>loves</em> to run her fingers through them.”</p><p>Linda’s shoulders drop, and she lets go a huge sigh.</p><p>“Alright, I can tell you want to talk about it so …go on. You have five minutes then we are getting back to this mortality thing.”</p><p>“Oh, it’s wonderful, isn’t it?” he asks, breathily, the astonishment coming through in his words as he leans forward.</p><p>“She’s…,” he says before pausing and scoffing at himself, ”look at me gossiping like a school girl,” he says.</p><p>Linda smiles, “You’re in love. It’s only right to want to gush about your partner.”</p><p>“Every time I see her I want to fuck her within an inch of her life.”</p><p>Lind narrows her eyes, “Charming,” she says.</p><p>Then Linda pauses and tilts her head with a knowing glance.</p><p>“and yet you’re here and not with Chloe,” she says.</p><p>He nods, “I see your point, but the Detective has offered me the day off. Well of work duties, not sex. I imagine this evening will be more of the same.”</p><p>She furrows her eyebrows at him.</p><p>“Gah,” he says, sitting forward, “You know I don’t believe I’ve ever looked more forward to a sexual experience than sex with the Detective. It’s quite … <em>exciting</em>. Not that we are doing anything exciting, mind you. She’s rather …well much like her middle name. Plain.”</p><p>“So now you’ve surpassed the hurdle of a physical relationship, and you find yourself in a much more sinister problem. Sexual compatibility,” Linda says.</p><p>Lucifer shakes his head, “Our bodies are very compatible. Insert object A into slot B as it were.”</p><p>“So then why are you here talking to me about it like its something you need fixed?” she asks.</p><p>He sighs, “Well, it seems my usual antics of doing what I please don’t seem to fit what the Detective wants. I tried spanking, and she didn’t like that. I tried placing a finger in her rear, and she <em>really</em> didn’t like that.”</p><p>Linda nods and tilts her head as if to suggest she gets it, before leaning back in her seat. The triviality of his problem was a welcome refuge from her own.</p><p>“Sexual compatibly isn’t about the physical, it's about the emotional as well. Often our physical needs translate into emotional needs. The same way one might find handcuffs appealing if they desire to control or …vulnerability.” Linda says.</p><p>He nods to himself, “We haven’t yet tried handcuffs,” he says his eyes narrowing</p><p>Why didn’t he think of that? Given her occupation, it was not that far of a leap.</p><p>“Any relationship, especially one that is physical, needs to rely on open and honest communication,” Linda says, “Perhaps now that you have surpassed the hurdle of being intimate, it might be beneficial for you to discuss with her what that intimacy might look like going forward.”</p><p>“Hmm?” he says, pulling out of his own thought process to listen to her.</p><p>She sighs, “Ask her what she likes.”</p><p>He scoffs and sits back, “That removes the joy from figuring it out.”</p><p>“She’s not a puzzle, Lucifer. She’s a woman and unless you want her to dread having sex with you for fear you might do something weird … maybe you should just ask her.”</p><p>Lucifer shakes his head, “I only want what is best for the Detective. Yet, it seems she is rather … comfortable with normality. Take this morning, for instance, I attempted to add pressure to her windpipe – as one would do.”</p><p>“Of course,” she says, her tone patronizing.</p><p>“and she just … pulled my hand away. She didn’t like it. Every woman likes being choked.”</p><p>Linda tilts her head, “Well…”</p><p>“ I mean, how am I to be the pinnacle of her pleasure if she won't even let me choke her? How do I get her to see things my way?”</p><p>“You mean, how do you get her to want to do everything that you normally do?”</p><p>He smiles.</p><p>Linda rolls her eyes and sighs.</p><p>“Lucifer, relationships are give and take. They are about compromise on all fronts, including sexually. You shouldn’t be asking how you can get Chloe to do what you want to do. You should be asking yourself in what ways can you meet in the middle. Something that satisfies her desire for … <em>normal</em> and your desire for … everything else.”</p><p>“Compromise?” he says.</p><p>Linda nods, “Yes, and to be clear, your assumption that she is into ‘normal’ is just that. It’s an assumption. You two haven’t even spoken about sexual interests. You know, what you like and what you don’t like?”</p><p>“I … well, perhaps that is the one thing we haven’t spoken about,” he says, slowly understanding.</p><p>“There you go. Before you start assuming what she is into, it might be better if you just ask,” Linda says.</p><p>He sits back and thinks to himself.</p><p>“Hmm,” he affirms, sitting back.</p><p>“Now, since we are here,” she says, changing subjects, “Have you given thought to what I told you the last time we met?”</p><p>He turns to her, unaware of what the last time was.</p><p>“When you dropped by before my office hours?” Linda says, trying to lead him towards the answer.</p><p>“Oh, when I interrupted your morning sex?” he says.</p><p>She closes her eyes and shakes her head.<em> Of course </em>he remembers that.</p><p>“I-,” he begins to say until he feels a pop in his brain, and the world starts vibrates around him.</p><p>His hands instantly grasp the arm of the sofa, holding on for dear life as the world around him begins to melt like a Salvador Dali painting.</p><p>“Lucifer?” Linda asks.</p><p>A skull-splitting pain blooms into his head and unsteadies him. He screams out in pain.</p><p>“Lucifer!” Linda says standing up and closing the distance.</p><p>He can’t hear her though. All he can hear is the loud, ear-shattering pulse that comes and wanes like someone had turned the bass up on a speaker and put it right next to his ear.</p><p>He collapses onto the couch, holding his breath like someone was squeezing his lungs.</p><p>“Lucifer!” Linda says, reaching forth to hold onto him as he writhes on the couch, but he can’t hear her.</p><p>He can hear the thumping of his heart in his skull. And her office fades out into black emptiness.</p><p>He gasps like a fish out of water, the world around him slowly turning black and his skull feeling like it is going to split open.</p><p>“Lucifer, oh my god!” she says, placing her hands on him and attempting to steady his pained flailing.</p><p>Then as sudden as it came, it disappears, and he stops moving. He is left drenched in sweat with a headache that matches his heartbeat until his head is clear, and his chest expands as easily as it did before.</p><p>He lays there, panting and looking around.</p><p>“What the <em>hell </em>was that?” he asks as if she has the answer.</p><p>She stares at him, wide-eyed with hands that don’t know what to do.</p><p>“Lucifer, you’re dying,” she says, gasping in panic.</p><p>He looks up at her and scoffs, “Don’t be ridiculous,” he says as he sits up and begins to loosen his tie.</p><p>She grunts and shakes her head before walking back to the window, beginning her pacing.</p><p>“Okay, I’m just going to lay it out for you, okay? I’m just going to tell you, and you do what you want with it because I can’t … I can’t do anything.”</p><p>“What on earth are you-“ he begins.</p><p>“You’re going to die,” she says.</p><p>He pauses and looks at her, “Pardon?”</p><p>“Amenadiel came to me this morning just …absolutely stricken with grief. He said he went to speak with …well<em>, God,</em> and he told Amenadiel that you were going to die.”</p><p>Lucifer looks at her, his eyes narrowed, “Did he now?” he says, a tone of his voice sounding suspicious.</p><p>“He was inconsolable,” she says, power enough behind her words that Lucifer takes a pause.</p><p>----------------</p><p>Down the steps to the bullpen, Ezria and Calmos descend, watching the madhouse in front of them.</p><p>They both wear ill-fitted suits. Ezria is skinny, and the suit he wears looks like it is a hand me down from an older brother. Calmos, on the other hand, looks like his suit is a hodgepodge between several different suits. The pants fit well, but the shirt is too long, and the jacket is too small in certain places. Still, they seem rather content in their styling.</p><p>“What are they doing?” Calmos asks, watching officers deep in work and walking back and forth between the copy room and each other.</p><p>“Humans have to work for their food and a roof over their heads,” he says, turning to Calmos, “much like in hell. Except instead of bartering for it, they work for money then use the money to get the things they need.”</p><p>“Oh,” Calmos says as they hit the bottom of the steps, “that seems like more work than necessary.”</p><p>“Mm,” Ezria nods in agreeance.</p><p>He turns his focus from the officers to Calmos.</p><p>“Now,” Ezria says, “Lucifer isn’t at his penthouse, and he didn’t answer my summon. So most likely, he is here spending time with that mortal he’s grown so fond of.”</p><p>Calmos smiles and nods, “As one does.”</p><p>Ezria raises his eyebrows, and Calmos notices it.</p><p>Calmos smiles, “Spending time with those you are fond of. Like you and me.”</p><p>Ezria smiles.</p><p>“The sooner we speak with my brother, the sooner you and I can go back to our room and … well,<em> you</em> decide.”</p><p>Calmos nods and walks ahead of Ezria, determined.</p><p>“Let us find my King then,” he says eager to get out of here.</p><p>Ezria chuckles and follows him. Calmos pauses on realizing he has no idea where he is going. Eventually, Ezria overtakes him, and Calmos follows Ezria towards Chloe’s desk.</p><p>Ezria frowns when she isn’t there. He looks around for tell-tale signs that she might be away only to find nothing. He grunts.</p><p>He turns to Calmos and is about to say something when he hears clapping. He turns his eyes to the steps to see Chloe descending, holding onto a shaky Dan as the entire bullpen – despite their heavy workload – stands and applauds Dan’s arrival.</p><p>“Ah, there she is,” Ezria says before his eyebrows furrows.</p><p>But where is Lucifer?</p><p>------</p><p>“You got it?” Chloe asks Dan as he slowly descends the steps, one foot at a time. A cane helps him stable himself as his feet move slowly and clunkily down the steps.</p><p>He nods, “Chloe, I’m fine, honestly,” he says with a smile on his face.</p><p>He reaches the bottom of the bullpen and nods as Officer’s come to greet him and pat him on the back. They end their clapping as Dan raises a hand to silence them.</p><p>“Thank you, honestly,” he says, “this whole thing has been …well, it’s been hard.”</p><p>He turns to Chloe, a sincerity behind his eyes, “For everyone,” he says.</p><p>She sends him a soft smile and rubs his back.</p><p>He turns back to the crowd.</p><p>“I really appreciate the support and the letters and the visits I got and … I wanted to say it really got me through some hard times. Thank you.”</p><p>The officers nod and smile to themselves.</p><p>“Now get back to work!” he says.</p><p>They laugh, and a few pat him on the shoulders as they head back to their desk.</p><p>Chloe escorts Dan to his desk and helps him sit down. He groans like an old man as soon as his bottom hits the chair. He loved being able to walk again, but it took a lot out of him. He reaches back and rubs the healing wound on his neck.</p><p>“I’m going to have a hell of a job for a chiropractor when all this is done,” he says.</p><p>Chloe smiles.</p><p>Speaking of Hell, he thinks.</p><p>“Look, I … I know I said it already but-“</p><p>“it’s okay,” Chloe says.</p><p>“I’m <em>really</em> sorry,” he says, “for everything. You’ve really helped me out, and I’ll never forget it.”</p><p>“Yeah, well, we might not be married anymore, but I <em>did </em>say in sickness or in health,” she smiles.</p><p>He smiles back, and his smile frowns, “I’m … I’m really sorry for all the shit I said. I didn’t mean it, you know that.”</p><p>“I know,” she nods, holding his hand.</p><p>“And… and I’m sure Lucifer is a good guy. I mean, all the devil stuff aside, he’s not that bad.”</p><p>Chloe rolls her eyes, “Don’t tell him that. You’ll never live that down.”</p><p>He chuckles and nods, “Still. I … I guess I was having some bad reaction to the medicine and I just wanted you to know that I’m happy for you. Honestly. I know he would never do anything to hurt you, and … you deserve someone like that.”</p><p>She smiles.</p><p>“<em>Fine</em>, I’ll get you a burger on the way home,” she says.</p><p>He laughs again, and she smiles before tapping his hand and walking back to her desk.</p><p>“Wait here for a moment, okay? I’m just going to check my emails and make a few phone calls. Then I’ll take you to get some stuff from your place.”</p><p>“What?” he says, “I thought you were dropping me off.”</p><p>She laughs, “You’re not staying at your place,” she says, “I’m not going to leave you alone your first night out.”</p><p>He laughs and shakes his head, “It’s probably for the best anyway. I left my place a mess.”</p><p>“I know, but don’t worry, we got it nice and cleaned. We even put your door put back on its hinges.”</p><p>Dan furrows his eyebrows, “My door on its hinges?” he asks.</p><p>‘Well, <em>I </em>didn’t clean it, but Lucifer paid someone to clean it.”</p><p>Dan scoffs, “I guess his money is good for something,” he says, turning to his desk. He pauses.</p><p>“Can we go back to my door being off its’-,“ he says as he turns to her and pauses.</p><p>His eyes move to the figure behind her, and he freezes in place.</p><p>His face goes white like a ghost, and his eyes widen.</p><p>“Dan?” she asks.</p><p>“Detective?” a voice behind her says.</p><p>She turns to see Ezria standing mere feet away from her.</p><p>“That is what my brother calls you, correct?” he asks.</p><p>Her eyes widen as well, and she backs up slowly.</p><p>“<em>You</em>,” she says.</p><p>Ezria sees the way she is looking at him and sighs before nodding.</p><p>“Yes, I ... suppose I do owe you an apology,” he says as Calmos comes to stand next to him.</p><p>He takes in a deep breath and begins to speak. Though his words sound sincere, there is an air about him that makes them seem frivolous. It’s as if he <em>knows</em> he needs to apologize but doesn’t truly understand why.</p><p>“It was … wrong of me to control your vessel,” Ezria says, crossing his hands in front of him and lowering his head.</p><p>He performs the movements of an apologetic man, but his eyes don’t really feel it.</p><p>“I was angry,” he continues, “and I shouldn’t have used you to get back at my brother. What happens between my brother and I should have been left between us.”</p><p>Chloe swallows and backs up a little bit more, adding distance between them.</p><p>“I … it’s okay,” Chloe says, her voice unsteady, “<em>I’m fine</em>.”</p><p>Calmos nudges him, and Ezria turns to catch his eyes. He points at the mortal standing behind Chloe. The one who is staring at Ezria with a blank expression. Ezria sees it and tilts his head.</p><p>“What is wrong with him?” he asks.</p><p>Chloe turns to see Dan staring, his face white as a ghost.</p><p>“Dan?” she asks.</p><p>He doesn’t respond.</p><p>She turns back to Ezria, then back to Dan. Her eyebrows furrow, and she steps in front of him, breaking Dan’s line of sight.</p><p>“He just got out of the hospital,” she says, “he’s still recovering.”</p><p>“Ah,” Ezria says.</p><p>“Hospital?” Calmos asks Ezria.</p><p>Ezria turns to him with a smile, his eyes loving as if this was the only form of curiosity he would budge for. Chloe notices the way he looks at Calmos.</p><p>“It’s the place mortals go when they need to get their bodies mended,” Ezria says.</p><p>“Ah,” Calmos says.</p><p>Chloe narrows her eyes and crosses her arms, the immediate fear draining from her and a slight amusement curling itself into her lips. Even Lucifer’s twin had a demon attached to his hips and a weak spot.</p><p>“Let me guess, demon?” she asks.</p><p>“Halfling,” Ezria corrects, “but close enough, I suppose.”</p><p>Calmos doesn’t seem too happy about being reminded of this fact.</p><p>Ezria pauses and tilts his head.</p><p>“Perhaps you might teach him how to shave?” he asks.</p><p>Chloe chokes on her spit.</p><p>“What?” she asks when she can speak.</p><p>Ezria furrows his eyebrows.</p><p>“I only mention it because, if I recall correctly, your pubis is entirely devoid of-“</p><p>“Okay!” she says, loudly, laughing and looking around, “Good joke.”</p><p>He looks at her oddly. Calmos also looks at her oddly.</p><p>Ezria stares at her for a moment, before humming grimly.</p><p>“I see,” he says, “I forgot how sensitive you humans were about your genitals. I suppose I may hold some of the blame for that.”</p><p>Chloe reaches up and places her hand on her head.</p><p>“You really are Lucifer’s brother,” she says.</p><p>Ezria’s eyes raise. Right. The reason he was here to begin with.</p><p>“Speaking of, have you seen my brother? I’ve been trying to get in contact with him to no avail.”</p><p>“He should be back at his penthouse,” she says, crossing her arms, “he wasn’t feeling well this morning, so I told him to get some rest.”</p><p>Ezria smiles, then that smile turns into a grin before he starts to laugh. Chloe looks at him oddly, not getting the joke. Her eyes narrow.</p><p>“He told me he found you smart, but he didn’t tell me you were funny,” Ezria says.</p><p>“I’m sure it was just a stomach-“ she begins.</p><p>“Feeling ill, <em>imagine</em>,” he continues to chuckle.</p><p>Chloe isn’t laughing. Instead, her eyebrows are furrowed watching him.</p><p>Yeah, Ezria is <em>definitely </em>Lucifer’s brother by how much she wants to punch him in the throat right now.</p><p>Ezria sees she isn’t amused. He stops laughing.</p><p>“My Apologies, I … I thought that was a joke,” he says.</p><p>“I told you the truth. Lucifer was feeling off this morning, so I left him at his penthouse,” she says.</p><p>“I stopped by his penthouse, and he wasn’t there,” Ezria says.</p><p>“Well, Lucifer isn’t here,” Chloe says, shrugging, “I suggest you try calling him again or wait for him at his penthouse. He’s bound to return there at some point.”</p><p>Ezria grunts in disapproval.</p><p>“We could always go back to the hotel and wait until this evening, my Lord,” Calmos says.</p><p>Ezria turns to him, and the annoyance fades from his eyes. He smiles.</p><p>“You just want to penetrate me again,” Ezria says.</p><p>Chloe raises her eyebrows. That was … <em>not</em> a detail she wanted.</p><p>Calmos’ face becomes red, and Ezria smiles.</p><p>Ezria turns back to see a shocked Chloe.</p><p>His smile fades.</p><p>“I … do hope that you and I no longer have a quarry, Detective. My brother finds you quite useful, and I would hate for there to be any ill-blood between us. Human or not.”</p><p>She narrows her eyes.</p><p>“I’m Fine,” she says, annoyed.</p><p>“Good. I imagine that you and I could become good friends,” Ezria says, “Especially considering how privy I’ve become to your most …<em> intimate</em> affairs.”</p><p>She immediately turns three shades of red and reaches up to rub her neck.</p><p>“Let’s … let’s not mention any of that ever again, okay? Like …<em> ever</em>.”</p><p>Ezria nods and reaches into his pocket and pulls out a money clip with a few dollars. It is the same cash that Jeremy the crossroads demon gave him – or at least what is left after the meals Calmos ate.</p><p>He hands it to Chloe.</p><p>“I hope this will suffice as an acceptable gesture of goodwill? I hear its rather useful for you mortals.”</p><p>She looks at the few dollars and shakes her head, “No, I … it’s fine, truly. I don’t need your …”</p><p>She looks down and counts the bills he is handing to her, “ …six dollars.”</p><p>“Perhaps she requires something more valuable?” Calmos says to Ezria.</p><p>Ezria turns to Calmos and nods, “Yes,” he says, turning back to Chloe, his eyebrows furrowed as he thinks.</p><p>Chloe watches him as he wracks his brain for what he could give her. He reminds her so much of Lucifer, of the Lucifer she met that first day. So, sure of himself, even in a world he clearly doesn’t understand.</p><p>Yet, Even though they share the same face, the same genetics, and even the same suit, she can tell Ezria is different. Beneath that familiar facade isn’t hurt or longing, or a desire to be loved, but something … something she isn’t sure she wants to understand.</p><p>Something darker.</p><p>“It’s fine,” she says, again, “Honestly. I’m over it.”</p><p>“Might you gift her with a feather from your wing, my Lord?” Calmos asks.</p><p>Ezria turns to him quickly, “That’s an excellent idea,” he says, pleased at his shock that Calmos continues to prove himself … <em>unique</em>.</p><p>“I have many of those to spare,” he says, turning back to Chloe.</p><p>“You are aware of the properties of an Angel’s feather, are you not?” he asks as he extends his wings in one fell swoop, sending a gust of air through the station.</p><p>Chloe immediately lurches forward and pulls his wings close to his body, so they sit on his back.</p><p>She cuts herself on the blades attached to the end of his wings.</p><p>He looks at her, an offense in his eyes that she dares to touch him.</p><p>“Ow! Not here!” she says, pushing him quickly into a nearby storage room.</p><p>Officers turn as the gust of wind hits them to find a Chloe pushing a man with a weird feather contraption on his back into a storage closet. They furrow their eyebrows in confusion before turning back to what they were doing. They’ve certainly seen stranger things here.</p><p>Calmos stands there and watches the door to the storage room close. Then he turns to see a catatonic Dan, staring into space. He narrows his eyes and looks over Dan with curiosity. He tilts his head.</p><p>Mortals were strange in the wild.</p><p>Inside the storage room, Chloe turns to a confused Ezria.</p><p>“Ow, damn it,” she says, holding her bleeding hand.</p><p>She turns to Ezria. His eyebrows are furrowed, and he is looking upset. Offended, even. Offended that she would dare accost him as if he were something to be ashamed of, or easily moved.</p><p>“You can’t just … pull out your <em>wings</em> here,” she says, noticing his offense, “in front of all these people!”</p><p>“Oh,” he says, turning his eyes to the door, his offense slightly falling.</p><p>“Mm,” he nods, “You’re right. Mortals are ill-prepared for my divinity.”</p><p>She scoffs and rolls her eyes before turning to her hand. It bleeds freely onto the ground. Ezria turns his eyes to her hand and notices the blood. He seems unmoved by it, rather entertained almost.</p><p>He smiles to himself before pausing.</p><p>He inhales sharply.</p><p>Lucifer would be upset if he did nothing.</p><p>He reaches behind him and pulls out a feather. The feathers are pitch black, but thin shaft of keratin that holds them together is gray.</p><p>“Allow me,” he says, stepping forward.</p><p>She looks up at him cautiously then down to the feather in his hand.</p><p>Her eyes narrow. Weren’t angel wings supposed to be white?</p><p>He grabs her hand before setting the feather on top of it, then he sandwiches her hand between his. A bright golden light radiates from the center, and when it fades, he removes his hand. She looks down at her hand to see it completely healed.</p><p>“Wow,” she says, “I’ll never get used to th-“</p><p>She looks up at him to find him staring at her with completely dark eyes. Where the whites of his pupils should be are now a complete dark void. Like she is staring into a starless sky.</p><p>“-at,” she finishes, a sudden feeling of impending doom in her heart.</p><p>“Now that I’ve apologized,” he says, “perhaps you might find the need to forgive me for my transgressions.”</p><p>She stares deep into his black eyes, unsure of what to say or of what she is seeing. It feels a lot like her possession. When that voice had whispered into her ear, so angry.</p><p>“In fact, I think it might be best for all involved if you’ve forgiven me. You want to forgive me, don’t you?” he says his eyes boring a hole into her.</p><p>She stares at them, silence between them.</p><p>“Don’t you?” he asks again.</p><p>“Wha- what’s going on with your eyes?” she asks.</p><p>He looks at her and tilts his head.</p><p>“Pardon?” he says, the intensity of his stare diminished as confusion sweeps over his face.</p><p>“Your eyes, they are like creepy blacked out, is that your thing? Lucifer has desire, and you have … wha ... what is this?”</p><p>Ezria steps back, confused at how that didn’t work on her. She can see his confusion in his eyes, even with darkness painted over them. Slowly the black begins to fade from his eyes to reveal Hazel, and he still stares at her, confused. He is shocked, intrigued even, and slightly afraid that it didn’t work on her.</p><p>He temporarily questions himself.</p><p>“Lucifer’s thing doesn’t work on me either, so I wouldn’t be too upset,” she says, noticing his confusion.</p><p>“Fascinating,” he says, looking at her as if he was seeing something he isn’t used to seeing.</p><p>“How does he feel about that?” Ezria asks.</p><p>“I… I don’t know. I think he kind of likes it, the challenge.”</p><p>Ezria narrows his eyes, “Yes, I can see that. Perhaps his interest in you is far more than utilitarian.”</p><p>She narrows her eyes, “Thanks?”</p><p>They sit in awkward silence for a moment.</p><p>The door behind them opens, and Calmos peeps his head in. Ezria looks up as Calmos enters and shuts the door behind him.</p><p>“Well,” Ezria says, turning back to Chloe, “Since it seems I will yet again not be speaking with my brother, I suppose we will adjourn to our hotel room until the evening. Perhaps then Lucifer might be more available.”</p><p>Chloe nods, crossing her arms in front of her body and nodding her head. She tries not to make this awkward. Though, really, she seems to the be only one feeling awkward about the thought of Calmos mounting Ezria. Maybe because he looks so much like Lucifer.</p><p>She pauses. Didn’t Lucifer mention he had been with men before? She had thought he was the one doing the penetration, but … what if he was the one getting penetrated? Suddenly her mind is rife with questions and curiosities.</p><p>“Oh,” Ezria says, “I almost forgot what we came in here for.”</p><p>He reaches back and plucks a feather from his wings before handing it to Chloe.</p><p>“Should you find yourself dealing with the misfortune of your mortality again,” he says.</p><p>Calmos clears his throat, and Ezria turns to him. He nods towards his wings again, and Ezria tilts his head. He sighs and reaches back and pulls another feather from his wings.</p><p>“My halfling friend believes one to be too few,” he says, handing her another feather, “considering your propensity to fall into harm's way I believe him to be correct.”</p><p>She accepts them and looks down at the feathers in her hand.</p><p>Ezria and Calmos head towards the door. Ezria rolls his shoulders, and his wings disappear into his body before he opens the door.</p><p>“Aren’t angel wings supposed to be white?” she asks, turning to them.</p><p>Ezria looks at her, then at Calmos. Calmos starts to snicker, and Ezria smiles.</p><p>“Not all Angels,” he says as politely as he can before he exits, and the door closes behind him.</p><p>She narrows her eyes.</p><p>And here she was thinking she got the asshole in the family.</p><p>She sighs and looks around before finding a stack of empty folders on a nearby cabinet. Here she sticks the feathers inside a folder before opening the door and watching as Calmos and Ezria climb the steps and exit the bullpen.</p><p>She sighs and drops the folder onto her desk before turning and seeing Dan staring at the steps to the bullpen, a grave look on his face.</p><p>“Hey,” she says, walking over to him, “I’m just going to make a few phone calls, and we can go okay?”</p><p>He turns to her, his eyebrows furrowed in frustration.</p><p>“What?” she asks.</p><p>“You didn’t tell me Lucifer had a twin brother,” he says.</p><p>----------------</p><p>Lucifer, donned in his Italian suit and shoes, walks pridefully down the sidewalk with a bundle of flowers in his hands. He smiles and nods to a passerby before entering a small bakery. Here a woman turns to him and smiles.</p><p>“There’s the handsome devil,” she says.</p><p>“Do you know any other devil?” he asks with a smirk.</p><p>“What can I get you beautiful?” she says, leaning on the counter and batting her eyes.</p><p>“Mmm,” he says, looking around the tray, “Lemon squares, obviously.”</p><p>“Obviously,” she says, “I always keep a few just for you. Just in case you come in. A handsome guy like you, I can’t say no to.”</p><p>He chuckles warmly and looks at the display case full of goodies. His stomach starts to grumble, and he puts a hand over it.</p><p>“You know what? I’ll actually take one of everything. A sampler.”</p><p>She smiles at him, “of everything?”</p><p>He laughs and shakes his head, “Usually I would jump at the opportunity to take you in the back and give you a different kind of frosting, Darling. But … unfortunately for you, I’m taken.”</p><p>She frowns, “What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.”</p><p>He sighs and shakes his head, “She always knows because I tell her.”</p><p>The woman grins and shrugs before turning and bending down to grab a bakery box.</p><p>Suddenly the grumbling in his stomach turns into another wave of nausea. Except this one is lighter, not as indicative of impending doom. Still, it’s enough to make him lean against the glass display case and catch his bearings.</p><p>“Are you okay?” he hears before turning to see the woman behind the counter, suddenly not smiling anymore.</p><p>He nods and holds up his hand, asking her to give him one minute. He steadies his breathing and stands straight, inhaling as he stands back up.</p><p>“I’m fine,” he says.</p><p>“Are you sure?” she asks.</p><p>He nods, “Just a little lightheaded is all,” he says.</p><p>She frowns and reaches into the case for a lemon square.</p><p>“Here,” she says, “It’s on the house. It will make you feel better.”</p><p>He nods and grabs it before taking a big bite out of it.</p><p>“Thanks,” he says while chewing. There is a smile on his face but concern behind his eyes.</p><p>This mortal business was distinctly <em>not</em> fine.</p><p>----------------</p><p>It’s midday at Saint Catherine’s Catholic Church as Amenadiel walks up the stairs to the giant ornate doors on the outside of the cathedral. The doors are already open, but he can tell by their thickness and ornamentation that they are heavy.</p><p>He enters, and as his eyes adjust to the new lighting, he notices a few people sitting scattered across mostly empty pews. They take their salvation in private. A woman with a handkerchief in her hand walks down the aisle towards him, a tear in her eye. She passes him without so much as a glance and exits. He walks down the aisle, looking around before catching sight of a confession booth on the side of the room. A woman walks out of it, crosses her chest and turns to find her position in the pews.</p><p>Amenadiel watches and narrows his eyes before walking forward.</p><p>Inside the confession booth, Father Kyle sits patiently, waiting for the next parishioner to enter his booth. He fiddles with a rosary in his hands</p><p>He hears movement beside him and raises his head.</p><p>“Welcome, my child. May God, the Father, be with you,” he says.</p><p>Amenadiel sits on the other side, silent. He stares downward at his hands, unsure.</p><p>They sit in silence for a moment before he can feel the Priest turn to him from the other side of the grate. He looks at an obscured Amenadiel before turning back to the front.</p><p>“First time?” he asks, his eyes turning to glance at Amenadiel.</p><p>Amenadiel nods.</p><p>“Don’t be afraid,” he says, smiling, “I am not here to judge you, only help you seek penance for your sins.”</p><p>“What if the sin isn’t mine?” Amenadiel asks.</p><p>The priest nods and hums, “Certainly you have <em>some</em> sin,” he says, “we are imperfect. We all have flaws.”</p><p>Amenadiel sighs and nods. The confession booth is silent.</p><p>“Take your time,” the priest says.</p><p>Amenadiel thinks, staring down at his hands. There is a sad realization in his eyes, and he opens his lips.</p><p>“I think God may be evil,” he says sadly.</p><p>The priest nods, “We usually start with a <em>‘forgive me, father, for I have sinned,’</em>” he says.</p><p>Amenadiel turns to him. The priest's face is obscured by the grate, but he can barely make out the priest's kind eyes.</p><p>Amenadiel nods, “Forgive me … Father,” he says, that word not feeling right on his tongue, “for I believe I have sinned. I think God is evil.”</p><p>The priest nods, “May I ask why?”</p><p>“He wants to kill my brother, his son,” he says, shaking his head, “and I am powerless to stop it.”</p><p>“Mm,” the priest hums gravely, “I see.”</p><p>The priest nods to himself.</p><p>“There are a lot of … contradictions in the Bible,” the Priest begins, “it teaches us that perfection is a state of being in one chapter and a state of mind in the other. The reality is that it is neither, and both at the same time. Good and evil are actions, not inherent qualities. Everyone – even God – can decide for themselves which actions to take.”</p><p>“So, God<em> can</em> be evil,” Amenadiel asks, furrowing his eyebrows.</p><p>“Evil is action without empathy. Good is action with empathy. The implication in the statement of whether God is evil or not is really a question about whether God is empathetic.”</p><p>Amenadiel scoffs. He’s beginning to see what Priests and God has in common. They speak in circles.</p><p>“Do you think God is empathetic?” the priests asks.</p><p>Amenadiel pauses and stares out into nothingness.</p><p>“I don’t know anymore,” he says.</p><p>What kind of Father would kill their son? Would allow another son to be lied to? Would allow their children to murder each other? Would damn anyone with mortality?</p><p>The priest pauses and turns towards the door, waiting and listening. He lowers his voice a bit before leaning in closer to Amenadiel.</p><p>“It may be an unorthodox sentiment,” he says, “but even God can be flawed and imperfect.”</p><p>Amenadiel pauses and turns to the Priest. They meet eyes through the grate.</p><p>“The bible teaches us that good and evil are opposites and that within every human is the propensity for both. Those of us with faith have to hold ourselves to a higher standard. Have to have faith that even in the face of seemingly insurmountable trials and tribulations, we have the choice to be kinder, more accepting, and more loving. In that idea, yes, God may seem evil. But by the same principle, even the devil has redeeming qualities.”</p><p>Amenadiel furrows his eyebrows as the priest sits back in his seat.</p><p>“Isn’t that what this is all about?” Father Kyle asks, “Redemption?”</p><p>“That’s an unlikely take on God for a man in your position,” Amenadiel says.</p><p>The priest chuckles, “Yes, well … it Is a fool who doesn’t see the forest for the trees.”</p><p>“So, what do I do?” Amenadiel asks.</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>“If God wants to kill my brother, what do I do?”</p><p>The priest smiles, “God doesn’t want anyone to die.”</p><p>Amenadiel scoffs and shakes his head. Clearly, he came to the wrong place.</p><p>“This isn’t working,” Amenadiel says, standing up.</p><p>The priest watches him stand and can sense he is about to leave. He can sense the trouble in his spirit.</p><p>“It is my belief that what God wants or does is always for a reason,” the priest says.</p><p>Amenadiel stops, his hand on the curtain.</p><p>“If we don’t understand his will,” the priest continues, “then maybe we are too blind to understand. Empathy implies knowledge, and who is more knowing than God?”</p><p>Amenadiel stands there, unsure of how to take that.</p><p>“Why do you think God wants to kill your brother?” he asks.</p><p>“Because he told me,” Amenadiel says, turning to him.</p><p>“Did he ask you to kill your brother?” the priests asks, a curiosity behind his voice that sounds more like psychology than religion.</p><p>“No, he didn’t tell me the manner in which it would happen,” Amenadiel says, “just that it would happen.”</p><p>“Hmm,” the priest says, “Possibly humanities greatest flaw …”</p><p>“What is?”</p><p>“That even with all our faith and belief, we still perceive death to be the end. It is such a hard task to reconcile the love of God with the pain of death. But I want you to believe, at least try to, that death is not final.”</p><p>Amenadiel furrows his eyebrows, “He said the same thing,” he says, thinking.</p><p>The priest laughs and nods “For us, death is a painful end, and it can change us for the worst if we let it. For the person who dies, though, it is a chance to start a new. To live a life in God’s image. Reunited with loved ones.”</p><p>Amenadiel stands there, not saying a word.</p><p>“My suggestion is to spend time with your brother. Celebrate his life. Enjoy the gift he has been given. Death is … inevitable and painful, but it will only destroy us if we let it.”</p><p>Amenadiel doesn’t find that helpful, not in the way he was hoping, but … he would be lying to say that his spirit did feel calmer.</p><p>Death wasn’t the end for mortals. They always went someplace else afterward.</p><p>The silver city, Hell.</p><p>Why would it be any different for an angel?</p><p>Though …<em> where does the devil go when he dies?</em></p><p>----------------</p><p>The penthouse elevator opens, and Maze saunters out, an annoyance in her spirit that only partly covers a strange excitement. She had been summoned by Lucifer. It either meant she would get to use her blades, or he had something else planned for her. Either way, it was a welcome change from the things going on in her mind.</p><p>“Ah,” Lucifer says, turning to her. He sits up from the piano, a drink in his hand, “Perfect timing as usual.”</p><p>“What’s this about?” she asks as she watches him move towards the coffee table and grab a small packet of paper.</p><p>“I was busy,” she continues.</p><p>“Busy?” he asks, “I assure you this is far more interesting than whatever human they have you hunting nowadays.”</p><p>She inhales slowly, then exhales with a sigh.</p><p>“Okay, what is it?” she says, her curiosity peaked.</p><p>He hands her the packet of papers, and she looks at it briefly before turning to him.</p><p>“You called me all the way over here to do paperwork?” she asks, her voice rising in its annoyance.</p><p>“I stopped by Dr. Martin’s office today to discuss the Detective and I moving into a more physical relationship. She thought it might be best I compromise my usual tendency for all things … <em>sinful</em>.”</p><p>He takes a sip of his glass, and Maze’s eyes drop down to the paper. She reads a bit before a small smile comes over her face.</p><p>“What is this? An itinerary?” she asks, moving to the bar to sit while she reads.</p><p>Lucifer shakes his head.</p><p>“I thought this would be the best means of cataloging all the possible things we could achieve. Well, without considering those avenues, I’ve yet to explore yet. Which, <em>as you know</em>, isn’t many.”</p><p>Maze chuckles warmly as she reads through the list. She would blush if she hadn’t witnessed some of these very acts herself.</p><p>“Oh…,” she says fondly, “that was a good one.”</p><p>“I thought, given your proximity to the Detective,” Lucifer continues, “and being more familiar with her …private <em>arrangements</em>, that you might be able to tell me if this list is … <em>too</em> complete.”</p><p>She pauses and looks at him, her eyebrows raised.</p><p>“You want me to proofread your list?” she asks, confused.</p><p>He nods and pulls up to the stool next to her.</p><p>“The Detective is far more inexperienced than you or me. I’m not interested in overwhelming her with the possibilities just yet. I’d only like to …<em> encourage</em> her to explore. So, I think considering your knowledge of us both you would be best to … mediate.”</p><p>Maze stares at him for a second, a small smile coming to her face.</p><p>“Mediate?” she asks.</p><p>He nods.</p><p>She turns her head back to the list, her shoulders squaring with pride.</p><p>He still needed her.</p><p>“Okay,” she says, “Mediate.”</p><p>She looks over the list before again smiling fondly.</p><p>“Oh, yeah, I gotta use that one sometime. I forgot about that.”</p><p>He smiles and pulls a glass of whiskey to his lips.</p><p>He watches her as she reads over the list, a few guffaws and soft grunts of approval here and there.</p><p>“Mm,” she hums to herself, “I miss that one. Damn, it’s been so long since I’ve had good sex.”</p><p>She pauses for a moment, briefly remembering the night prior. She was wrong. It had been mere hours since she had good sex. Lucifer’s eyes fall from amused patience to curiosity.</p><p>He knows that look.</p><p>“Go on then,” he says with a smile, “Don’t hold back all the information. Who was it this time?”</p><p>She clears her throat and shakes her head, “Nothing. It was just a fluke. I had drunk sex last night and … and it was <em>really</em> good. I mean … insanely good.”</p><p>“Oh,” Lucifer says pleased, “Seems like we are both finally getting what we want.”</p><p>“Yeah,” she says, unconvinced as she goes back to the list.</p><p>Except she didn’t want these … feelings. She had no language to deconstruct what these small embers of emotion mean in a place that shouldn’t be seeing fire.</p><p>“Yeah, well, there’s no way it’s happening again,” Maze says, “it was a one-time thing. She’s too …”</p><p>“A woman?” he asks, before pausing.</p><p>“Do you think the Detective would benefit from involving another woman in-“ he continues.</p><p>“Yes,” she says flatly before turning her head to him, “but you and I both know that isn’t going to happen.”</p><p>Lucifer tuts and shakes his head.</p><p>“Shame, really. I’d love to watch her squirm and pretend to not enjoy another woman’s tongue in her pussy.”</p><p>Maze grins widely and turns back to the list. She has many things she wants to say, number one is offering her services, but … she knows despite Lucifer’s pipe dream and fantasy that it would never happen.</p><p>He would never share her with anyone.</p><p>Lucifer takes a sip of his drink and turns to watch Maze as she reads through the sheet. He thinks this is probably the most enjoyment he’s seen from her that involves reading.</p><p>“You know,” he says, his eyes falling to her face again, “if you need some liquid courage injected into your female friend, my club is always open.”</p><p>She laughs and shakes her head, “Yeah, but I don’t always want her drunk. Ruins the challenge.”</p><p>She turns her eyes back to the list and lets out a big sigh before grouping up the first six pages and ripping them completely from the packet.</p><p>“Here,” she says, handing him the pages.</p><p>He furrows his eyebrows and looks at her. The list seems way lighter than it should be.</p><p>“That’s it?” he asks.</p><p>Maze turns her eyes to him and chuckles, “No way you’re getting Decker to…”</p><p>She pauses and looks at the first item on the leftover pages, “lick mango yogurt out of your asshole.”</p><p>“I call it that one <em>Fruit on the Bottom</em>,” he says.</p><p>She laughs and shakes her head, “She’s normal. The most you’ll probably get out of her is <em>maybe</em> handcuffs and anal if you’re lucky. She’s not going to do all the other freaky shit.”</p><p>“Though,” Maze says, tilting her head, “you might build up her tolerance over time. Who knows. In another eight years, you might get your wish.”</p><p>He sighs and shakes his head, “I suppose I’ve sown my oats enough.”</p><p>Maze shakes her head, but a smile stays planted on her face as she turns and heads back to the elevator.</p><p>“I’m going back to what I was doing. I want to finish this level before Ella gets home and realizes I broke into her apartment to play a game. I was almost at the final scene.”</p><p>Lucifer looks at the pages in his hand and turns his eyes up to Maze as she walks away.</p><p>“Uh, Mazikeen,” he says as he turns to set the packet on the bartop.</p><p>She turns on her heels to him, her arms crossed.</p><p>“What?” she asks.</p><p>He approaches her, his hands in his pocket.</p><p>“Are you going to tell me why you were so upset the other night?”</p><p>She stares at him, the annoyance behind her eyes falling momentarily as it dawns on her what he wants to talk about.</p><p>“We don’t have much time to spend in each other’s company,” he continues, “now that you are free from your oath, but … I do hope you know that you can speak with me on anything.”</p><p>“I know,” she says, nodding, “I just … I don’t know what to tell you yet.”</p><p>He nods and stares at her.</p><p>“Is it about Amenadiel and Linda?” he asks.</p><p>She scoffs and rolls her eyes, “No. I’m over that.”</p><p>“Perhaps it is about your bounty hunting duties?” he asks.</p><p>She shakes her head, “No, I got that sorted already.”</p><p>“Ah,” he says, his eyes lowering as he thinks.</p><p>They stand there in silence for a moment. The silence quickly moves into odd and awkward territory.</p><p>“I’m keeping this,” she says, raising the folded pages in her hand.</p><p>She turns back on her heels and heads to the elevator.</p><p>He smiles and nods, “I wouldn’t expect anything less,” he says, turning back to the drink on the bar.</p><p>The elevator doors open, and she enters before pressing the close button. When they close the stands there, her smile slowly falling.</p><p>She didn’t know what to say or where to begin.</p><p>How to describe how and what she feels.</p><p>Feel.</p><p>It’s … terrifying.</p><p>----------------</p><p>It’s night time now, and Natalie’s apartment is as clean as it is dark. Except for a light above her stove and the soft blue glow from her laptop, it appears as if no one is home.</p><p>But she is.</p><p>She silently sits at her usual spot on the couch. She is showered and comfortable and curled up with the laptop in her lap.</p><p>There is something off about her, though. She stares, watching the 11:00 news on her laptop, and instead of beer, she holds a glass of gin in her hands. It seemed fitting for the occasion.</p><p>She needed something harder.</p><p>She watches as the news covers the rise in crime.</p><p>Then, she is faced with an image of herself at the press conference. On the screen, plain as day, she stands at a podium above of a ticker with her full name.</p><p>Her <em>real </em>name.</p><p><em>Lieutenant Natalie Edwards</em>, it reads.</p><p>The lighting in the video only momentarily changes as cameras flash nearby on her face.</p><p>In her apartment, Natalie’s jaw tenses, and she brings the glass up to her lips to drink.</p><p>She stares forward as if watching the end of her. Her secret was out.</p><p>The mystery behind Mistress Carmen Redd, the secret she had worked so hard to keep to herself, was no longer her own. The veil had been lifted, and she was staring at the tattered shred of it in white lettering</p><p>
  <em>Lieutenant Natalie Edwards.</em>
</p><p>She groans and closes the laptop lid and sets the laptop on the couch next to her.</p><p>How did she get here?</p><p>Why was life so … <em>shit</em>?</p><p>The world knew who she was. The identity she had worn like a cloak had been removed, and she found herself naked, nude beneath the watchful and judgemental gaze of the world.</p><p>She felt so vulnerable, so exposed, so powerless.</p><p>She hadn’t felt this way since …</p><p>She pauses.</p><p>Her eyes well with tears, and she reaches up, downing the rest of her glass.</p><p>Just then, she hears the vibration of her phone and turns to the kitchen countertop where it sits.</p><p>She pauses.</p><p>It’s the red phone.</p><p>Mistress’ phone.</p><p>She inhales as she gets up and walks over to the counter. She sets the empty glass on it before touching it. It unlocks.</p><p>One new text message.</p><p>It is from Elliot and simply says:</p><p>
  <em>What the fuck?! Are you serious right now?</em>
</p><p>She sighs and holds the power button on the phone. The screen goes black, and she tosses it back onto the counter. Her eyes turn to the bottle of gin on the counter. She grabs it, sliding it off the counter before turning and shuffling to her bedroom.</p><p>----------------</p><p>Abel, now clean and dressed in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, approaches the door to Ella’s apartment. As he approaches, he hears her inside, yelling at her TV.</p><p>“Go! He’s behind the rock,” she yells.</p><p>He listens for a moment, a confused pause as he tries to figure out what is going on.</p><p>“I got him! I got him,” she says,” Loot him, and let’s go.”</p><p>He smiles, realizing she is playing a game and raises his hand to knock before pausing.</p><p>Something in his peripheral vision catches his eyes, and he turns to see the price tag of his shirt stick out of his collar.</p><p>“Okay, let’s go south and hit up that station,” she says from the other side of the door.</p><p>He reaches up and yanks the tag off.</p><p>“Oh! I’m getting shot!” she yells, and he turns his attention back to the door.</p><p>He stands there for a moment, listening to her yell into her microphone.</p><p>“Yeah! Take that, you asshole!” she screams.</p><p>He chuckles and shakes his head. Slowly his smile begins to fall, and his eyebrows furrow.</p><p>He wants to knock. He wants to say hello and tell her all the things she had missed, but what right did he have to bring her into that world?</p><p>They had only shared a few small moments. Ones that could be read as just friendship. He wanted them to be something more but …</p><p>What right did he have?</p><p>She had fed him meat and invited him to a club. That is the extent of their interaction. It would be silly to think that after …</p><p>He pauses. How long <em>had</em> he been gone?</p><p>Either way, it would be silly to think that after so much time, after being pulled from the sky, that she should be the first one to lay that burden on. The burden of him being back, of not knowing why he was back. Of still searching for purpose.</p><p>Of wondering how long it would be until Lucifer decided to send him back, or if God decided to send him back.</p><p>Part of him still yearns to go back, back to that place where peace was both distant and a constant. Where silence and nothingness allowed him to finally hear and see and … feel.</p><p>He sighs and stares at the door for a moment longer.</p><p>“Ah, he got me,” Ella says, disappointed.</p><p>He turns and heads back down the long hallway before walking down a stairwell and exiting a door to an outside courtyard.</p><p>As he exits, he swings the door open, almost hitting a woman and her child. The woman yanks the child back, away from the door. This allows a few items on top of the box she is carrying to shift. They fall over the side of the box and onto the ground.</p><p>She yelps, jumping out the way, and Abel pauses.</p><p>“Oh! I … I’m sorry I didn’t-“</p><p>“It’s okay,” she says, smiling, “I probably shouldn’t have been walking so close to the door.</p><p>Abel leans down to pick up the items she dropped. A stack of papers, a few pens, and a tattered Bible.</p><p>He reaches out to hand them to her, and she shifts the box in her hands to the side before reaching out for the papers. She takes them and sets them on top of the box.</p><p>She turns to find him staring at the closed bible in his hands, his eyes moving over it as if searching for something.</p><p>He looks up at her, his eyes distant before slowly handing it to her with both hands. She smiles and shakes her head.</p><p>“You keep it,” she says with a smile, “It looks like you need it more.”</p><p>Abel shakes his head, “No I-“</p><p>The woman smiles and reaches out to grab her daughters’ hands before walking behind him and opening the closed door.</p><p>He turns and watches her, “I ... I couldn’t-“ he begins.</p><p>She enters the apartment building, and the door closes behind them. Abel turns his eyes back to the book. His eyes flip back and forth over the letters, searching.</p><p>He knew a sign when he saw it. He knew God was silent, but rarely ever did something mean nothing, and this was certainly <em>something</em>.</p><p>He narrows his eyes, a small fire of hope in his heart. So, God did have a plan for him.</p><p>But what was it?</p><p>----------------</p><p>A shirtless Lucifer walks out of his bathroom, dabbing his mouth with a damp rag. As he passes his closet, he turns to it and tosses the rag into a half-empty clothes hamper.</p><p>“Ugh,” he groans, “how am I ever to keep anything down with this wretched soul tar?”</p><p>He had asked Amenadiel to help him find an answer, but it had been two days now, and nothing has come of it.</p><p>So, to hell with it.</p><p>If vomiting up his soul tar would be the thing that allows him to spend the rest of his life with Chloe, then so be it. Didn’t make it any easier being mortal, though. Not when this hunger within him doesn’t die down. His stomach growls, and he sighs as he walks back to his balcony where a plate of steak and potatoes sits for him.</p><p>He moves to sit in his chair and sighs as he relaxes his body into the seat.</p><p>The view of Los Angeles at night was beautiful, and the breeze that flowed over his balcony was refreshing.</p><p>It was calm.</p><p>He wanted to share this moment with her, but he knew she would be spending at least another week with the child. It would make his plans to sully her for a full night more difficult, but the wait would be worth it.</p><p>He smiles to himself at the thought. He wonders what devilishly despicable things she would say to him then. When her brain was mush from a full night of orgasms, and her orifices were soft and hot and wet and – if all goes according to plan – sore.</p><p>He grins widely to himself.</p><p>His phone vibrates in his pocket, and he turns to it to see Chloe’s name.</p><p>He accepts the call and brings the phone to his ear.</p><p>“Darling, are you sure you’re not omnipresent? I was just having the most delightful thoughts about you.”</p><p>“I’m sure you were,” she says from her end of the phone, “I was just calling to see how you were feeling?”</p><p>“I feel as though you should currently have your legs wrapped around my head. I thought you were coming to visit me this evening?”</p><p>She sighs on the other line, “I know, I’m sorry but … Dan just got out of the hospital, and he’s staying with me until I feel okay with him being by himself. It’s a little busy over here at the moment.”</p><p>Lucifer nods and reaches for the small glass of water on the table, “I suppose I can make do with the toys from my drawer.”</p><p>She scoffs in amusement. He can’t hear it, but somehow he knows she is rolling her eyes. A smile peels itself onto the corner of his face.</p><p>“Seriously,” she says, “are you feeling better?”</p><p>Lucifer nods and sets the glass down on the table.</p><p>“I am. I’d had far worst happen to me than a little bit of soul tar Detective.”</p><p>“Okay,” she says, not sated or comforted by his response but seemingly resolved to not getting anything further from him.</p><p>The line goes silent for a moment.</p><p>“Did you uhm … did you speak to your brother?” she asks.</p><p>He raises his eyebrows.</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>“Your uh …Ezria,” she says, that name not coming easy off her tongue.</p><p>Just saying it sends goosebumps down her spine.</p><p>“Oh, no, no. He’s been oddly silent today,” Lucifer says, “I believe he and his demon friend might be … preoccupied.”</p><p>“Yeah, I got a few mental pictures I did not ask for from them today,” she says.</p><p>Lucifer pauses.</p><p>“Ezria approached you?” he asks.</p><p>“Yeah, he came down to the station looking for you. He said he tried to summon you, but you didn’t respond.”</p><p>Lucifer thinks for a second then pauses.</p><p>Summon him.</p><p>Is that what that headache at Dr. Martin’s office was? Has he lost his ability to summon his brothers? Had he lost his ability to hear the summons?</p><p>“He didn’t say what he wanted, but it seemed important,” Chloe continues.</p><p>“Yes,” Lucifer says, his ears listening but his mind somewhere else.</p><p>“Well, I’m glad you’re okay,” she says.</p><p>“Yes,” he says again, his eyes narrowing.</p><p>“I’ll stop by tomorrow morning, okay?”</p><p>He smiles, and suddenly his attention is on her again.</p><p>“Need your morning fix?” he asks.</p><p>“Oh, shut up. Good night Lucifer,” she says in feigned annoyance.</p><p>He chuckles, “Goodnight, Detective.”</p><p> </p><p>The phone clicks, and he grins wildly. Oh, he can’t wait until morning. If only he had been given the power to speed up time.</p><p>He pauses, remembering what Chloe had said. Ezria had tried to summon him. He hums to himself grimly.</p><p>And so it begins, he thinks.</p><p>He sets the phone down before grabbing the plate and pulling to into his lap. Here he cuts a bit of steak off and begins to chew.</p><p>Was there something for her to worry about? He wasn’t worried, not in the least bit. Mortality was something new – but not unknown – to him. There was nothing that father could do – even death if he were to believe Linda – that would frighten him.</p><p>He swallows and begins to cut another piece of steak.</p><p>Mortality.</p><p>He scoffs at the idea. At the suggestion that offering himself to a woman he loves, and removing the burden of immortality, might frighten him.</p><p>Might make him want to assume his role in hell. That is what this all is, right? Some roundabout way to get him to beg to be King of hell.</p><p>He scoffs again.</p><p>He takes a bite of the steak and sighs as he chews.</p><p>He sets his knife down and reaches for the water as he swallows. He pauses, the steak getting caught in his windpipe. He coughs and coughs before attempting to wash it down.</p><p>Only the water gets spit out again as he coughs.</p><p><em>Bloody hell</em>, he thinks to himself, annoyed at the inconvenience of choking.</p><p>He sets the glass down on the table, thumping his closed fist against his chest to try and dislodge the steak. It doesn’t work, even as he hits himself harder and harder each time.</p><p>He begins to get lightheaded, his movement and lack of oxygen starting to affect him.</p><p>No matter what he does, the obstruction doesn’t budge. He stands, the plate and its contents crashing and scattering onto the floor of the balcony. He stumbles over to the railing of the balcony and tosses his torso onto the metal bars, hoping the force will lodge it out.</p><p>Still, it doesn’t budge, and he’s starting to see stars. They aren’t his stars, but they are stars none the less.</p><p>He is gasping for air, but no air is coming. His head is starting to get even more lightheaded, and the world around him begins to spin.</p><p><em>Fuck</em>, he thinks, his eyes managing to land on his cell phone on the table.</p><p>He stumbles over to it, collapsing to his knees at the end of the table. His hands shakily grab it, attempting to dial someone who could get here fast.</p><p>Amenadiel, his brain, manages to think.</p><p>But that is the last thing he remembers before collapsing onto the floor slowly. The stars disappear in favor of darkness as he falls unconscious.</p><p>----------------</p><p>When Lucifer opens his eyes again, he is met with both a familiar and unfamiliar sight.</p><p>He was dead, that he was sure of.</p><p>What he wasn’t sure of is why the world around him was a white silence.</p><p>Why instead of ash and fire there was only fog.</p><p>This was <em>not</em> hell.</p><p>He looks down at his feet, the grey and black rocks sitting beneath his toes.</p><p>It felt real.</p><p>It felt more real than it had ever felt.</p><p>His furrows his eyes in confusion.</p><p>This place <em>was</em> real. It wasn’t a place of his dreams.</p><p>He looks up and surveys the area around him.</p><p>That means …</p><p>“You again?” a voice says in the fog.</p><p>“I am as surprised as you,” he says, annoyed and confused.</p><p>“Where am I?” he asks.</p><p>“Why must you continue to burden us with your presence, Samael?” a voice says.</p><p>“Believe you me, the burden is all mine,” he responds.</p><p>“You don’t belong here, Angel,” the voice says from somewhere behind him.</p><p>He turns his head, knowing he won’t catch a glimpse of where the voice is coming from, but turning anyway.</p><p>“Yes,” he says, getting an odd feeling from these voices, “I believe we are in agreeance. Perhaps you might tell me where ‘here’ is?”</p><p>“This place is only for mortals,” the voice says, angry, “you don’t belong here!”</p><p>“I am mortal!” he screams in response, annoyed, “or didn’t you get the memo?”</p><p>The voices are silent. He can’t see where they are coming from, but he gets the distinct feeling they have paused, taking in what he is saying.</p><p>There is a movement to his right, and he turns to it. He can barely make out the form of a shadow as it moves.</p><p>“Mortal?” a voice says, its interest piqued.</p><p>“Are you mortal, Samael?” another voice says in the other direction.</p><p>He turns to the voice and catches a brief glimpse of a black shall through the fog.</p><p>“Oh, does<em> that</em> get you off?” he asks.</p><p>It is a comment that is met with laughter. Except the laughter isn’t singular but multiple, like the fog is laughing with him, or <em>at</em> him.</p><p> </p><p>“What are you guilty of?” a voice says behind him, close to his ear, so close that it vibrates his skull.</p><p>He snaps around and finds himself face to face with nothing, but he can still feel the warm breath on his ear.</p><p><em>Guilty</em>, he thinks, the word bouncing around in his skull trying to find a place to rest.</p><p>But he’s already answered this question. When the Detective had come over and refused to take no for an answer, he had told her his truth, and she had stayed.</p><p>He didn’t need to rehash an old story. Chloe had given him permission, <em>he</em> had given him permission to not be weighed down by that anymore. To not live his life trying to run from his past.</p><p>To not spend his life wondering if he were still good or purely evil, jumping between both as if either had something left to offer.</p><p>To not be stuck in …</p><p>He pauses.</p><p>His eyes narrow, and he takes a second glance around, the weight of his realization slowly sitting in his chest. He listens, as the distinct sound of fires crackling in the distance suddenly becomes more audible.</p><p>He stares, his eyes wide.</p><p>He had indeed died a mortal death.</p><p>He had died a mortal death and was now in Limbo.</p><p>The place between heaven and hell.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Humanity</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ezria learns of Lucifer's demise, Abel finds his calling, Dan is dealing - yet again -  with the celestial, Natalie receives bad news, Lucifer wakes from the dead, Chloe gets a break in her case, and Maze mother hen's Lucifer.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>------------------------</p><p>Ezria lands softly on the balcony of Lucifer’s penthouse, carrying Calmos in his hands like a groom would carry his bride over the threshold. Calmos hops out of his arms and waits for Ezria to move before walking forward into the living room.</p><p>“Lucifer?” Ezria asks, approaching the living room and glancing down at the still unfurled scroll on the coffee table.</p><p>Calmos sees it and kneels at the table, reading it with curiosity.</p><p>“Brother?” Ezria asks as he continues inward.</p><p>He sees the unmade bed then turns his eyes to the open bathroom door.</p><p>“I’ve been trying to speak with you for days. Did you not hear my summons?” Ezria asks as he steps up the stairs into Lucifer’s bedroom.</p><p>He turns to face the bathroom and finds no one is there either. He furrows his eyebrows and turns back towards the living room.</p><p>“Lucifer!” he yells, his voice angry now.</p><p>He gets no reply and scoffs before heading down the steps and watching as Calmos reads.</p><p>“My brother is either ignoring me or has forgotten about me,” he says frustratedly.</p><p>Calmos turns to him, then looks around the penthouse.</p><p>Lucifer’s penthouse is quiet and somewhat clean. Any evidence of what has transpired here is long gone, but there is still a feeling here that something wrong has happened.</p><p>The bed isn’t made. The cover of the piano is up, and a slight layer of dust has gathered on the keys. On the bar, an uncapped decanter of whiskey sits.</p><p>“Are you certain he isn’t here?” Calmos asks, “It seems unlike him to be so unkempt.”</p><p>Ezria nods and sighs as he stands.</p><p>“Unfortunately,” he says, “I feel like I’m back in the Silver City and being ignored by my brothers.”</p><p>“Surely, there must be a reason he isn’t here? Perhaps he is back in hell looking for you, or with that woman.”</p><p>Ezria shakes his head, “No,” he says, unable to shake the feeling that something is wrong.</p><p>He sighs and moves to sit on the couch. As soon as he sits, he turns and reaches beneath him to pull out a single white feather. He looks at it for a moment, his eyes narrowing.</p><p>“He could be molting,” Ezria says, “It is a miserable experience and one that explains his desire to be alone.”</p><p>Ezria looks up as he twirls the feather in his hands.</p><p>“We are alone,” Calmos says with a smile.</p><p>Ezria raises an eyebrow, slowly dropping his hand.</p><p>Calmos moves himself to stand between Ezria’s legs.</p><p>“I suppose if My King isn’t here, that means we have some private time.”</p><p>Ezria smiles and reaches forward, wrapping his arms around Calmos’ waist. Here he pulls Calmos closer. He then buries his head into the cloth covering Calmos’ belly before biting the shirt. It draws a little bit of Calmos’s skin with it in a gentle pull.</p><p>“Unlike my brother, who seems fond of all manner of hedonism, I dare say you might be my only vice,” Ezria says.</p><p>He turns to look up to Calmos as Calmos stares back at him with hooded eyes.</p><p>Slowly, Calmos kneels as Ezria’s hands loosen from around his waist. Calmos drags his hands up Ezria’s thighs before meeting at his buckle. Here he begins to unbuckle Ezria’s pants. Ezria watches him love behind his eyes. Calmos pulls out his belt then unbuttons his pants. There he reaches in and finds his un-erect penis. Instantly it is in his mouth and this time, no teeth.</p><p>It seems he’s had quite a bit of practice since their first time.</p><p>“Mm,” Ezria says, the anger draining from his eyes.</p><p>Lucifer wasn’t here. He hadn’t been here for days, and despite Ezria wanting answers and wanting permission to reign, he had to admit he found the ways in which he occupied his time while waiting enjoyable.</p><p>Calmos had come to earth as his friend and potential sentinel. When they went back to hell, they would be going as lovers. Calmos would be his confidant. It had given him hope. Even if he couldn’t find his happiness at home, with his family, he had something here –<em> someone</em> here – to find joy in.</p><p>Ezria reaches out a hand and slides it through Calmos’ recently combed hair.</p><p>“Oh,” Ezria hums as he begins to grow inside of Calmos’ mouth, “You’re getting better at that.”</p><p>Calmos hums an approved hum as he pulls up a hand and grips the growing shaft of Ezria’s erection.</p><p>He slurps and sucks, and Ezria moans in enjoyment, his grip on Calmos’ head tightening. He reaches down and pulls the fabric of his pants below his testicles so they are easily accessible. Calmos takes it as a hint and pops Ezria out of his mouth before his tongue finds its way to Ezria’s testicles. Calmos’ hand grips and pulls at his shaft while his tongue licks and moves the fleshy globes.</p><p>“Oh,” Ezria says, tossing his head back and pushing his hips forward, “I wish you could fuck me.”</p><p>Calmos chuckles and leans back, letting go of Ezria before standing and beginning to unbutton his pants.</p><p>“Okay,” he says.</p><p>Calmos drops his pants to the ground and steps out of them.</p><p>Ezria shakes his head, “I was … I was simply stating my desire. We don’t have any lubrication here, Calmos.”</p><p>“Oh,” he says, disappointed, his hand already on his erection, “Okay.”</p><p>Ezria sees the disappointment in Calmos’ eyes, and it’s a shared disappointment. He would be lying if he said the last three days of physical attention hadn’t been the best moments of his life so far. He had known he had peculiar sexual interests, and Calmos seems curious to try them all. It was like he had been given an all-access pass to try anything his heart desired, and he took advantage of that. Ezria doesn’t believe there is a single part of his body that hadn’t had Calmos’ lips on them at some point.</p><p>Ezria turns his head to Lucifer’s bedroom.</p><p>“My brother should have some more lubrication here,” he says, standing up and walking around the couch and heading towards the bedroom.</p><p>He ascends the steps and moves to the table by the bed where Lucifer had produced the original bottle. He opens the drawer and sifts through it. He doesn’t find what he is looking for.</p><p>He sighs and turns his head to the open closet as Calmos walks to the bottom of the steps.</p><p>“I’ll check his wardrobe,” Ezria says.</p><p>Calmos smiles, slowly unbuttoning his shirt so that his torso hits the cold air of the apartment, and his nipples do that thing that Ezria likes. He would miss that when they go back to hell.</p><p>Ezria walks into Lucifer’s closet and looks around. It is organized in here, suits and pants hung up by color, shoes set out in pairs on racks and drawers of what one would only presume to be socks and underwear.</p><p>He looks around for a moment before opening one of the drawers.</p><p>As expected, color-coordinated socks.</p><p>He shuts the drawer and moves over to the next drawer. He opens it and, as expected, underwear.</p><p>He grunts and steps back before looking around.</p><p>Above the hung-up shirts and jackets, he sees a few clear plastic bins. In one of them, he can clearly see instruments that seem of a sexual nature.</p><p>He hums and reaches for it to pull it down. When he does, a small box slides off of the container and crashes to the ground behind him. He ignores it and sets the container onto the ground before popping the lid and smiling.</p><p>“Here we go,” he says, peering into what could only be Lucifer’s sex chest. Or, at least one of them.</p><p>He sifts through it, not at all bothered about the idea of where some of these objects have been, until he finds a small bottle of clear fluid.</p><p>He turns it over, the label – slightly worn. But still legible.</p><p>“Personal Lubrication,” he reads.</p><p>He pauses. Yeah, that makes sense.</p><p>“I found it!” he says, yelling from the closet.</p><p>“Excellent,” Calmos responds.</p><p>Ezria sets the bottle down and covers the plastic container. He lifts it with ease, despite its contents, and slides it onto the shelf.</p><p>He turns to pick up the bottle when he notices the box that fell off the top of the plastic container. He reaches down to grab it, and its contents slide out.</p><p>He pauses, and his eyes widen as he recognizes what it is.</p><p>It’s a robe.</p><p>More specifically, a white robe with golden edges. The kind one would wear in the silver city. He drops the box, not even looking where he is putting it and reaches down before delicately grabbing the robe and pulling it up. It unfurls, not a single wrinkle in it.</p><p>He stares at it, a longing pulling from his chest. He reaches forward and pulls it to his nose. It jettisons him into a deep nostalgia that only the scent of sweet honeysuckles and fresh linen could do.</p><p>He holds it tight to his nose, his eyes filled with longing. That sense of longing disappears quickly as he inhales and is replaced by a much more sinister thought. The question of where Lucifer got the robe from. The question of whether Lucifer had been to the Silver City. If had spoken to father, and if so, then what of? If he had managed to get past the -</p><p>“My Lord?” he hears.</p><p>It pulls his out of his nostalgia, and he turns to the closet door.</p><p>“One moment,” he says, turning back to the robe, “I must ... put things back in order.”</p><p>Ezria carefully folds the robe and sticks it back into its box. Then he sets the box on the ground near the door. He will return for it later.</p><p>He then turns to grab the bottle that he came for and exits the closet. He descends the steps, a soft smile on his face thinking about what will happen now, but also half thinking about that robe.</p><p>Wondering how it will feel on his skin.</p><p>Calmos smiles and strokes himself as Ezria approaches.</p><p>Suddenly, the elevator dings, and they both pause and turn to see Amenadiel entering.</p><p>Amenadiel stops in his tracks when he sees them, his mouth wide as if he doesn’t know what to say. There, Ezria and Calmos stand pantless, erections poking from their body while Ezria holds a bottle of Lubrication.</p><p>“Brother,” Ezria says, surprised as Calmos moves to gather his pants and cover himself.</p><p>Amenadiel turns his back immediately, his eyes raised in shock.</p><p>“I…, I’m sorry, I –“ he begins to say.</p><p>He hadn’t expected anyone to be here.</p><p>“We came here looking for Lucifer,” Ezria say, in no rush to gather his clothing, “He hasn’t been answering my summons.”</p><p>Amenadiel’s embarrassment falls into a grave look.</p><p>He slowly turns to Ezria, unsure of whether he is covered or not. He catches him as Ezria slips his feet into his pants and pulls them up over a still rigid erection.</p><p>“Lucifer is …,” Amenadiel begins, unsure how to explain it to Ezria.</p><p>“Lucifer is … dead.”</p><p>Calmos furrows his eyebrows, and Ezria tilts his head, looking at Amenadiel.</p><p>His confusion falls into amusement before he starts to laugh.</p><p>“Funny Amenadiel,” he says, turning to Calmos, “You and that mortal woman share the same sense of humor.”</p><p>He turns back to Amenadiel.</p><p>“Truly, where is he,” he asks.</p><p>Amenadiel shakes his head and slowly approaches.</p><p>“He choked on a meal,” Amenadiel says, “That’s how he died. Right over there on the balcony.”</p><p>Calmos turns his eyes to the balcony. He stares at it for a moment before looking back at the apartment.</p><p>The uncovered decanter, the open piano, the unmade bed.</p><p>It all made sense now.</p><p>His eyebrows furrow the same time Ezria’s do.</p><p>“His body is in a funeral home. It’s been there for days. I checked again this morning, and he is still there. Still dead.”</p><p>Ezria shakes his head, “No, that makes no sense. He is an angel.”</p><p>Amenadiel sighs and shakes his head, turning to the scroll on the table. It is what he came here for.</p><p>“No, he’s not. Father made him mortal as a form of punishment,” he says, taking the cups off the scroll.</p><p>It slowly begins to curl back into its normal shape, no longer being weighed down. Amenadiel rolls it up and sticks it back in the tube.</p><p>“That’s … that’s impossible,” Ezria says, shaking his head, not understanding how this could be true.</p><p>Father wouldn’t-</p><p><em>God</em> wouldn’t remove an Angel’s divinity. <em>Would he?</em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Would his punishments never end?</em>
</p><p>It was bad enough that he had cursed his children to live in hell. To then add insult to injury, he makes one of them mortal?</p><p>“Father can do and will do anything if it seems to follow his plan,” Amenadiel says, annoyed as he caps the tube and turns to Ezria.</p><p>His eyes immediately glance down to the erection, still straining against the fabric of Ezria’s pants. He inhales and averts his eyes. He had walked in on Lucifer giving in to carnal desires before, sometimes with men, but somehow it's weirder knowing its Ezria. They didn’t have that kind of relationship.</p><p>“So, what does that mean?” Ezria asks, ignoring the way Amenadiel is looking at him, “I came here to speak with him about Hell. Is he in hell? Has he been in hell this whole time?”</p><p>Amenadiel shakes his head, “You said he isn’t answering your summons. It means he can’t hear them anymore, or he’s somewhere where he can’t be summoned.”</p><p>Amenadiel pauses, “or both,” he says.</p><p>Ezria just stares at Amenadiel, shaking his head and trying to wrap his brain around that idea.</p><p>Lucifer was an Angel like him. Angel’s don’t die,<em> can’t </em>die.</p><p>“So – so what? He’s just … <em>gone</em>!?” Ezria says, annoyed that Amenadiel doesn’t have the answer.</p><p>“Maybe you should go back,” Amenadiel says with a frown, as he heads back to the elevator “If he returns anywhere, perhaps he might return there first.”</p><p>Amenadiel presses the button to the elevator to go down.</p><p>“You seem calm about this,” Ezria says, not understanding why Amenadiel isn’t as upset about it as he is.</p><p>The doors open, and he steps inside. He turns to Ezria.</p><p>“What is my other option?” he asks, defeated.</p><p>The doors close, and Ezria and Calmos stand there.</p><p>“Wha ... what does that mean?” Ezria asks, an already gone Amenadiel, “What if he doesn’t come back?”</p><p>Ezria turns to Calmos, his eyes furrowed in worry.</p><p>“Who will run hell?”</p><p>Calmos nods and thinks for a moment before smiling. He turns to Ezria.</p><p>“You will,” he says.</p><p>Ezria furrows his eyebrows and shakes his head. No, he couldn’t do that.</p><p>“It can only be you,” Calmos says, “You’re the only free Angel in Hell.”</p><p>Ezria turns to him, his eyes dripping with confusion and sadness and fear.</p><p>Calmos slowly kneels and lowers his head.</p><p>“My King,” he says.</p><p>Ezria stares at Calmos, confusion still laced in his eyes.</p><p>Calmos turns his eyes upwards so that they meet Ezria’s confused stare. His eyes are filled with love and revere that only Calmos could have. It stills Ezria’s spirit and gives him a confidence he didn’t think was possible.</p><p>King, he thinks, before the confusion drops, and a smile starts to peel onto his face.</p><p>
  <em>King.</em>
</p><p>He liked the way that sounded on Calmos’ lips.</p><p>That moment is short-lived, however, as a strange silence falling over him.</p><p>Lucifer was dead, he thinks, turning his eyes back to the eerie silence of the apartment.</p><p>His brother, his other half, was … <em>dead</em>.</p><p>--</p><p>Inside the Elevator, Amenadiel stares forward in silence. He looks down at the tube in his hand, then back in front of him. In his eyes isn’t defeat anymore, but determination.</p><p>He was calm not because he is resolved in what is happening, but because he is still focused on changing it. He doesn’t know what there is to change yet, but once he found out …</p><p>A small pang of remorse flitters into his mind at not telling Ezria, at leaving him further in the dark, but he convinces himself it must be done.</p><p>Perhaps it speaks to mistrust with his brother? He thinks.</p><p>Or rather, the fewer people that know about his intent, the fewer he will bring down with him.</p><p>After all, it did not end well for the last Angel who went against the will of God.</p><p>--</p><p>Lucifer’s eyes slowly open, or at least he thinks they are opening. He can’t quite tell. They feel open, but all he can see is the same darkness he saw when they were closed. He takes a moment as his senses come back to him.</p><p>First, there is sound. He can make out the distinct sound of a constant buzzing of machinery and the empty clicking of metal against metal.</p><p>Then comes feeling.</p><p>His whole body is cold.</p><p>He slowly manages to lift up a hand, despite his muscles feeling rigid, and immediately touches what feels like a fabric.</p><p>“What the,” he dryly grumbles as he waves his hand around. The fabric slowly pulls and drifts until his hand hits the clang of hard, <em>cold</em> metal.</p><p>He pauses, the dots connecting in his brain.</p><p>He rolls his eyes and groans.</p><p>“Oh, for the love of …. <em>Hello</em>?” he says, banging on the metal in front of him.</p><p>He continues banging until he hears footsteps progressively getting louder – and presumably closer – to him. He then hears them stop as if the person who had been walking to him pauses.</p><p>“I can hear you out there,” he says, waiting for a response.</p><p>“Do you mind?” he asks when he gets none.</p><p>No response still, only silence.</p><p>“I can’t feel my toes,” Lucifer complains.</p><p>He hears tentative footsteps followed by the metal screech of a turning latch. The darkness is broken, and bright light hits his eyes as the metal slab on which Lucifer lays is pulled from its drawer.</p><p>He closes his eyes, the bright light above him suddenly too much, and holds his hands out to shield his view. Slowly, his eyes grow accustomed to the light, and he looks up, staring at the face of a shocked, horrified, and confused mortician.</p><p>Lucifer sits up, and the slab gently rocks beneath him. He looks down at the rest of his body to find he is covered by a white sheet. He turns and looks at the mortician before sighing.</p><p>“Took you long enough,” he says, casting the sheet off him and turning his body so that his legs hang off the edge of the slab. Without thinking, he hops off the slab, ready for his legs to catch him, except they don’t.</p><p>“It was bloody freezing in there,” he says before his brain registers his legs are too weak to hold his weight.</p><p>He collapses to the floor, and face plants. He lays there for a second, fully taking in how far he has fallen – both figuratively and literally.</p><p>He lets out a long sigh.</p><p>“This feels about right,” he says to himself before leaning his head up and turning to the mortician who still looks shocked and doesn’t know what to do.</p><p>“A little help?” he asks, annoyed.</p><p>The mortician slowly approaches Lucifer before leaning down and tossing Lucifer’s arm around his shoulder. He pulls Lucifer up to his feet and walks him around the corner before plopping him on a rolling stool.</p><p>Lucifer groans as he sits, his bones and muscles aching as they start to warm up.</p><p>“I … I’m sorry, I’m a little confused,” the mortician says, turning back to the cold drawers.</p><p>“Oh,” Lucifer says, turning to him, “It speaks.”</p><p>The mortician walks around the corner and disappears before reappearing with the white sheet that was draped over Lucifer. He looks at it oddly before handing it – from a safe distance – to Lucifer.</p><p>“I don’t understand,” he says before his eyebrows furrow, and panic comes over him, “are the coolers not cold enough?”</p><p>“No, they are downright frigid. I believe my testicles can attest to that,” he says, adjusting himself.</p><p>“Get it, testicles? At<em>test</em>?” Lucifer says.</p><p>Lucifer pauses. <em>Where did he hear that joke before?</em></p><p>The mortician just shakes his head, “You should be dead. Even if you weren’t dead, you <em>should</em> be dead,” he says.</p><p>Lucifer sighs, “Not one for a joke now, are we?”</p><p>“If the cold didn’t kill you … What am I saying? you were dead! You had no pulse!”</p><p>“Well, I’m clearly alive now, aren’t I?” Lucifer says, setting his feet down on the ground and testing his muscles as his toes start to tingle.</p><p>His legs feel more stable, more rigid now. He wraps the sheet around his waist before standing and slowly shuffling over to a nearby door.</p><p>“I was going to embalm you today,” the mortician says, his hand on his forehead as it dawns on him he could have killed a man.</p><p>This was a nightmare come true.</p><p>This was the perfect case to be sued.</p><p>He furrows his eyebrows.</p><p>The man was dead, though, right? He came in stiff as a board.</p><p>His eyes roll up to Lucifer.</p><p>“Well, thankfully, you didn’t,” Lucifer says, pushing a hinged door open and entering a hallway that leads to a large viewing room.</p><p>The mortician snaps out of it and follows him into the hallway.</p><p>“You have to be seen,” the mortician says, “you … you’re alive. You need medical attention.”</p><p>“I assure you the most harm to come out of this is to my pride and possibly the skin on my penis. I think I have frostbite,” Lucifer says, reaching down and cupping himself.</p><p>It feels like he’s holding a bag of half-melted ice.</p><p>A <em>small</em> bag of melted ice.</p><p>He pauses. He hopes mortality didn’t come with a smaller package.</p><p>“Where are you going? The mortician says, “sir! You need to be checked –“</p><p>“I’ll be fine,” Lucifer says, resuming his shuffle towards the main door.</p><p>The mortician grunts and runs around a long table at the front door before picking up the phone and calling 911.</p><p>Outside, Lucifer steps off the small cement porch of the funeral home and onto the pavement. It is sunny outside, and by the looks of it, it’s early morning. The heat of the sun feels good on his skin, and he sighs, pleased.</p><p>He didn’t remember much about his death, but he does know that he died at night. Judging by the height of the sun in the sky, he hadn’t been gone for long. Which is good, he wouldn’t have to tell the Detective about the gritty details of becoming mortal.</p><p>First, he needed real clothing and perhaps a warm shower to de-thaw him.</p><p>He begins to walk forward before pausing. His eyes narrow, and he rolls his shoulders back to check.</p><p>To see if his wings are still there.</p><p>They pop out in quick divine glory.</p><p>He grunts in annoyance, then lets go a deep sigh as he feels the warmth crawl over his body. They radiate light and heat that warms his still cold limbs. It feels good, but it doesn’t bode well.</p><p>It means he isn’t mortal, not yet.</p><p>“Dare I say we’ve found your <em>one</em> use,” he says to the wings as if they would respond.</p><p>They spread to full span as he flexes, jumps, and in the blink of an eye he’s gone.</p><p>Behind him, the door to the funeral home opens, and the mortician steps out, “I’ve called the –“ he says, as he looks around at an empty parking lot, “ambulance.”</p><p>He raises his hand to his forehead and shakes his head. This was not what he had thought would happen this morning.</p><p>--</p><p>An hour later, the penthouse elevator opens, and a flustered Amenadiel enters. He exits the elevator quickly, while behind him, a tense Maze walks out, spinning a blade in her hand.</p><p>She’s much more annoyed than Amenadiel but more … subdued.</p><p>“Lucifer!” Amenadiel yells to a seemingly empty apartment.</p><p>It pulls Lucifer from his hiding spot, or rather into the open from his closet. He is showered and getting dressed. His hair is still impossibly curly, but its clear he hasn’t gotten to that step yet.</p><p>He exits as he buckles his belt, already donned in a shirt and pants.</p><p>Amenadiel’s eyes snap to him, and he approaches the bottom of the steps.</p><p>“Limbo, Luci?! Have you any idea what this means?”</p><p>Lucifer groans, “Yes, it’s nice to see you too, brother. Afterlife is grand, thanks for asking.”</p><p>“Limbo, Luci. Limbo. Angels aren’t <em>supposed</em> to go to limbo,” Amenadiel states grimly as if that fact had somehow been missed.</p><p>“I think I’m far more experienced in understanding the implications than you are,” he replies</p><p>Maze moves to sit on his couch, her arms crossed and a scowl on her face.</p><p>“Good to see you too, Mazikeen,” he says, annoyed.</p><p>“Do you have any idea –“ Amenadiel continues.</p><p>“Why are<em> you</em> upset? It was I who died,” Lucifer says, annoyed, turning around and moving back into the closet to finish getting dressed.</p><p>“Yeah?” Maze says, pushing herself off the couch and moving to stand next to Amenadiel, “well, <em>we</em> had to deal with the aftermath of your death. I say ‘we,’ but I mean Chloe. <em>Chloe</em> had to deal with it. It was bad enough when you were gone for five minutes, but three days?!”</p><p>Lucifer stops in his tracks at the archway to his closet, the annoyance in his eyes dropping.</p><p>Three days?</p><p><em>Three days</em>.</p><p>For three days, he had been dead.</p><p>For three days, he had been in that cold freezer.</p><p>That explains the confusion on the mortician's face.</p><p>Confusion and horror.</p><p>For three days Chloe had –</p><p>He stops himself from thinking that, his chest starting to tighten at the thought.</p><p>“Yeah,” Maze says, recognizing that he is actually listening, “do you know how awkward it’s been for me all weekend? Hearing her cry through the walls? I hate it when humans get all … <em>feely.</em> It makes me feel weird.”</p><p>Amenadiel turns to her, his eyebrows furrowed. That is not a word he had imagined would come from Maze’s mouth.</p><p>“She was crying?” Lucifer asks.</p><p>“Yes. Think about that. That’s the second time she’s had to watch you die,” Maze says, “You want to be mad at us for caring? Maybe be mad at yourself for <em>not</em> caring.”</p><p>“How is she?” he asks, his voice softer now, the annoyance of death yet again taking a back seat.</p><p>“How do you think?” Maze says, crossing her arms again, “you’ve been dead for three days.”</p><p>“Luci, we need to figure this out,” Amenadiel says, stepping forward, “If you’re mortal now, that means you can die.<em> Permanently</em>.”</p><p>Maze shakes her head, “Mortal,” she says, disgusted at the idea. The King of Hell relegated to mortality? <em>Gross.</em></p><p>Lucifer shakes his head, “I’m not. I still have my wings,” he says.</p><p>Amenadiel nods, relieved, “Okay,” he says, ready to salvage what they can of this.</p><p>“Okay, so we have time. We can still figure this out and change it,” Amenadiel says, looking up towards Lucifer, “In the meantime, you should … you should try not to die. Even if you can come back, you can still die now and we need to prevent that.”</p><p>“That’s it, I’m not leaving your side. As your sentinel, I have to protect you,” Maze says.</p><p>“Don’t be ridiculous,” Lucifer says, trying to hide his own growing concern, “besides, I’ve released you of your service, remember?”</p><p>Maze shakes her head and steps forward, “I do this of my own will,” she says, raising her blade, “You’re not leaving my sight.”</p><p>Amenadiel nods, “Maze is right, wings or not. Until we can figure out how to reverse this –<em> if</em> we can reverse this – it's best you have some form of protection.”</p><p>Lucifer scoffs and turns to walk into his closet. If it was going to see Chloe, he had to look …well decidedly not dead, but also good. It would be her only consolation prize.</p><p>As an <em>“I’m sorry I died Darling, but don’t I look good in Prada?” sort of thing.</em></p><p>“There is nothing to figure out, Amenadiel,” Lucifer says as he opens his sock drawer and pulls out a pair of non-descript navy blue dress socks, “If Father wants me mortal, then so be it. I’m done fighting, okay? It has gotten me nowhere.”</p><p>“What if Father <em>wants</em> you dead?” Amenadiel says, “Would you die? Would you willingly just give up everything you’ve worked for? Would you willingly give up Chloe?”</p><p>Lucifer scoffs and exits his closet, pair of socks in hand.</p><p>“Your conjecture is both unnecessary and undesired.”</p><p>Amenadiel crosses his arms, serious about his questions.</p><p>Lucifer sighs and shakes his head, annoyed, “Your presumption is that Father cares whether I die or not. It is <em>God</em> we are talking about here, Amenadiel. If he <em>really </em>wanted to end me, he could do it himself. Clearly, he is bluffing.”</p><p>“He told me you were to die, Luci. Am I supposed to ignore that?”</p><p>Lucifer laughs, “He said that? <em>Well.</em> Problem solved, brother. I died, and yet here I am,” he says, waving his arms as if to say, <em>See?</em></p><p>“You’re being awfully cavalier about this whole situation, Lucifer,” Amenadiel says, “This is not a laughing matter. We don’t yet know if Father is done.”</p><p>“Perhaps, but this conversation is,” he says before turning and walking into his bathroom.</p><p>Amenadiel sighs and turns his eyes to Maze.</p><p>“He’s not going to play nice,” Amenadiel says.</p><p>Maze nods, “Neither do I,” she says as she walks up the stairwell, approaches the open door to the bathroom, and just stands there.</p><p>“What?” a reply comes from inside.</p><p>She narrows her eyes and walks into the doorway, a look on her face that indicates she is not fucking around.</p><p>Amenadiel turns his eyes to the empty coffee table. Mere hours earlier, it had the scroll from the book of Samael.</p><p>If this weren’t over, if Lucifer were still alive, that means he hasn’t died – truly died- yet. Which means he could stop it still.</p><p>He narrows his eyes, and just like that, he has a plan.</p><p>He needed someone who knows what the scroll means. Someone who could sift through all the parable and decipher it.</p><p>He nods to himself, thinking he knows who.</p><p>The sound of metal breaking followed by Lucifer yelling, “Hey!” makes Amenadiel turn his eyes back to the bathroom</p><p>Maze exits the bathroom, shuts the door then yanks the end of the handle off.</p><p>Lucifer begins to bang on the door.</p><p>“Bloody … <em>Maze</em>! What are you doing?” Lucifer screams.</p><p>“You’re staying here until I figure out how to keep you safe,” she says before turning and heading towards Amenadiel.</p><p>“I’m going to go down to the station and give him some of that padding humans wear to cover their skulls,” she says.</p><p>Behind her, the door flies off its hinges and lands across Lucifer’s bed. It sends splinters of wood flying into the air.</p><p>Lucifer steps out, a fire behind his eyes and not at all pleased.</p><p>Maze turns to him, “Huh,” she says.</p><p>She turns back to Amenadiel, “Well, he still has his strength,” she says.</p><p>“What, in my name, do you think you are doing?” Lucifer asks, upset.</p><p>Maze turns to him, “You’re staying here until I can get you some gear. You leave this penthouse, and I will hurt you.”</p><p>“I’d like to see you try,” he says, approaching her.</p><p>Maze narrows her eyes.</p><p>Amenadiel steps in, “This isn’t helping, you two!”</p><p>They stare at one another, despite not moving forward. Maze begins to smile, her heart pounding with the promise of violence. Specifically, violence with Lucifer.</p><p>“We need to figure out what is going on,” he says to Maze, “we don’t have time to waste.”</p><p>“And you,” Amenadiel says, turning to Lucifer, “We need to keep you safe in the meantime.”</p><p>“I’m fine,” Lucifer says flatly, still looking at Maze.</p><p>“For now you are,” Amenadiel says, “But what if you die again? Think about Chloe. Isn’t three days enough?”</p><p>That gets his attention, and his eyes move to Amenadiel.</p><p>“Imagine six days, or twelve days,” Amenadiel says.</p><p>“Are you going to keep using her as a crutch?” He asks Amenadiel, upset that they keep bringing Chloe up.</p><p>“I don’t know, are you going to keep being a dickhead and only thinking about <em>your</em> feelings?” Maze asks.</p><p>Lucifer narrows his eyes and tenses his jaw.</p><p>“Fine,” he says, turning back and heading to the bathroom.</p><p>He pauses at the splinters on the ground before turning his head to the broken bathroom door. He scoffs and shakes his head before entering the bathroom, going back to taming his hair.</p><p>Maze turns and heads towards the elevator.</p><p>“Humans,” Maze says, annoyed.</p><p>Amenadiel sighs and shakes his head.</p><p>“No, I think that’s just Lucifer,” he replies.</p><p>--</p><p>The doors to Saint Michael’s Church open, and Abel, dressed in his clean white t-shirt and dark denim jeans, enters holding the bible in his hand.</p><p>He looks around for a moment and takes note of the pews scattered with people. His eyes turn as a priest walks along the edges of the church. The priest speaks in low tones with a woman. The woman nods, reaches out to hold the Priests’ arm, and silently thanks him. The priest nods and watches her as she passes Abel and heads out the door behind him. Abel turns his head to watch her leave then turns back to see the priest, heading back towards the front of the church.</p><p>“Are you a representative?” he asks loudly.</p><p>The priest turns to look at him, as do a few parishioners who narrow their eyes at Abel<em> not </em>whispering. They turn back to their prayers as the Priest walks up to Abel with a smile.</p><p>“Of God or the church?” he asks, his voice low.</p><p>“What is the difference?” Abel asks.</p><p>The priest chuckles to himself and nods, “How can I help you?” he asks.</p><p>Abel shakes his head, “I’m not quite sure, but I believe I should be here.”</p><p>The priest nods and hums to himself, “Often, when God calls for us, It is important we listen,” he says in agreeance.</p><p>He waves to the rest of the church, to the parishioners praying in silence.</p><p>“Here, we offer the place to hear his word.”</p><p>Abel nods, “I hear him, I’m just … not quite sure what he is saying. He brought me back, but he gave me no direction.”</p><p>“Excuse me,” another woman says, and they both turn.</p><p>She eyes Abel apologetically then turns to the priest.</p><p>“Father, I … I need to speak with you. It’s urgent,” she say to the priest.</p><p>The priest nods and turns to Abel, “One moment,” he says.</p><p>Abel nods, and they move a few feet to the side and speak in low tones. Low enough that they probably feel as if what they are saying is private, but loud enough that Abel can hear it just fine.</p><p>It also probably helps that he is keen to pay attention to what they are saying.</p><p>“Father, I’m at my wit's end. He refuses to come to church,” the woman says, “he refuses to do his homework. This morning I tried to wake him up and he … he <em>cursed</em> at me.”</p><p>“It’s a rough time for young Matthew,” the priest responds, “but it’s important we do not falter. He is at a very crucial time in his life. Now, more than ever, he needs to understand his soul is on the line. Perhaps you might convince him to come to one of the youth nights? He might find comfort in comradery.”</p><p>She shakes her head, “I just … he blames me for everything, and I just, I feel so guilty that I can’t help him. I keep thinking if it might be easier to just send him to live with his Father.”</p><p>“Matthew just needs some time to-“ the priest begins to say.</p><p>The priest pauses and turns to find Abel standing next to them as if he is a part of the conversation.</p><p>The priest narrows his eyes then turns to the woman who looks at the priest, then at Abel.</p><p>“This is a private conversation,” the priest says to Abel, “Do you mind –“</p><p>“How old is the boy?” Abel asks the woman.</p><p>The woman looks at the priest, then looks at Abel.</p><p>“He’s thirteen,” she says.</p><p>Abel nods, “And how long have you and the child’s father been unwed?”</p><p>“It’s been uhm …six months,” she says, wondering if it’s been that long already.</p><p>Her eyebrows furrow.</p><p>Abel nods, “Puberty,” he hums grimly, remembering his own body changes.</p><p>He had no women there except his mother to fawn after.</p><p>That was … an upsetting time.</p><p>“So you have a teenager who is going through upsetting physical changes,” Abel begins, turning to the woman, “and the emotional changes that come with it. Added to that is recent wedding vow dismissal and an overbearing mother who wants to speak about or fix feelings he probably never had to deal with. Yet alone understand,” Abel says.</p><p>The woman opens her mouth to say something in defense before pausing. The priest tilts his head, his eyes narrowing.</p><p>“Oh,” the woman says as if the thought hadn’t occurred to her.</p><p>“He doesn’t need religion,” Abel says, “He needs space. Silence. Reflection. Maybe a therapist.”</p><p>The woman stares at him and nods, “Right. I … I guess I never thought about it that way.”</p><p>“And you shouldn’t feel guilty for attempting to help him,” Abel says, “You’re his mother. Any attempt is born out of a desire to do just that, mother. So, no Guilt. Guilt is bad. Don’t feel guilty. You have no need to.”</p><p>She nods, “Yeah,” she says, her shoulders relaxing.</p><p>“Yeah, I … I’m just trying my best,” she says, nodding, a wave of understanding falling over her face.</p><p>“When he is ready to talk he will… until then, I should just … I should be supportive,” she says.</p><p>She nods to herself, thinking.</p><p>Each nod pulls a wrinkle away from her forehead until she looks peaceful. She smiles and nods. She reaches a hand out and places it on Abel’s arm.</p><p>“Thank you,” she says before turning to the priest, “You are both a Godsend.”</p><p>She turns and leaves, and Abel smiles, suddenly standing up taller. That felt good.</p><p>It felt good to help people. His eyes roam up to the priest, who is less than happy. Then Abel turns his eyes to the parishioners on the seat. They were people, people in need of help and guidance. They were …</p><p>His eyes narrow.</p><p>They were a flock that needed a Shepard.</p><p>He turns his eyes to the bible, and suddenly there is a solidity there he was lacking, a purpose.</p><p>He turns back to the priest.</p><p>“I want to become a priest,” he says.</p><p>The priest scoffs and shakes his head, “You just told that woman she didn’t need religion,” he says.</p><p>Abel turns to the door she exited from then back to the priest, not understanding.</p><p>“because she didn’t,” he says.</p><p>“Our job is to bring people into the church, to God. To save their souls from eternal damnation.”</p><p>“Yes, and I did that,” he says, confused.</p><p>The priest shakes his head, “You can’t just provide meaningless advice and think that is akin to the work of God.”</p><p>“I relieved her guilt,” he says, “She won’t go to hell now. Well, at least not for that.”</p><p>The priest shakes his head, “Sin is what gives us eternal damnation, not guilt.”</p><p>Abel shakes his head, “<em>No</em>, it is guilt. We create our own damnation.”</p><p>The priest shakes his head, “What is your name, son?” he asks.</p><p>“Abel,” he says.</p><p>The priest pauses, his eyebrows furrowing.</p><p>“That is a strange name.”</p><p>Abel nods, “My mother gave it to me. Perhaps you know of her. Eve?”</p><p>The priest sighs in frustration, the look on his face changing to anger.</p><p>“If you want to blaspheme, you can do it outside of my church,” he says as he begins to push Abel towards the door.</p><p>“Wha- wait, what?”</p><p>“Out! Out with you,” he says, pushing Abel past the threshold of the church and onto the stone steps outside.</p><p>“God is not to be mocked in his own home!” the priest says before shutting the door.</p><p>Abel stands there, completely confused by what the hell just happened.</p><p>Abel scoffs, before heading down the stone steps, the bible in his hand swinging.</p><p>“These men don’t care at all about the people they are supposed to be leading to the silver city,” he says aloud, annoyed with that interaction.</p><p>He shakes his head.</p><p>It’s apparent the church isn’t interested in clearing the guilt of their parishioners, only causing it.</p><p>No wonder there are so many people in hell.</p><p>He scoffs.</p><p>If this priest won't help him, perhaps he needs to find someone who will.</p><p>-</p><p>It is Monday morning at the precinct, and Dan is sitting comfortably at his desk. It felt good to be back at work and back to a somewhat <em>normal</em> life. He would be on desk duty for a few weeks until they cleared him, but it was better than staying at home.</p><p>Better than … he pauses, his eyes going distant.</p><p>A soft breeze blows by, and on the back of it is carried a familiar scent. He looks up to see Chloe in the process of sitting at her desk.</p><p>A smile comes over his face.</p><p>“Hey,” he says.</p><p>“Hey,” she says softly.</p><p>It isn’t a happy hello.</p><p>He furrows his eyebrows, noticing the red ring around her eyes like she had been crying all night.</p><p>“You need anything?” he asks, scooting his roller chair across towards her desk, pushing himself forward with the cane he had been given.</p><p>“No. I’m fine,” she says, a small quiver in her lip and the sadness in her eyes betraying the truth.</p><p>“Chloe,” he says, tilting his head as if it wasn’t something he could hide from her.</p><p>He had become familiar with her tell-tale signs.</p><p>“Honestly,” she says, shaking her head, “I just … I just want to work, okay?”</p><p>“Okay,” he says.</p><p>“Detective,” Natalie Edwards says from the door of her office.</p><p>Chloe turns to her, caught off guard.</p><p>“Yes?” she says, clearing her throat.</p><p>“How is the case coming?” she asks.</p><p>“Uhm,” Chloe says, looking down at the file in front of her, “Slow. I interviewed the wife again to ask her about the divorce papers, and she said it was a bluff. She said she knew he wouldn’t sign the papers, which gets rid of my only idea of a motive for her.”</p><p>“So, we have no lead suspect?” Natalie asks to clarify.</p><p>Chloe frowns, “No, sorry,” she says.</p><p>Natalie sighs and nods, “Well ...” she says before her face falls flat, and she looks around.</p><p>She turns directly to Chloe.</p><p>“Where’s Mr. Morningstar?” she asks, sighing and not prepared to have him MIA yet again.</p><p>Chloe swallows, “Uhm, he uh … he had a family thing he had to take care of,” she says.</p><p>Natalie crosses her arms, “Oh, did he? Did he perchance tell you when he might be back? Or whether he intended on informing me about this little trip?”</p><p>“It was sudden,” she says, trying not to crack, “he uhm … it was an emergency. I ... I can text him and find out?”</p><p>Natalie sighs, “Please do.”</p><p>Chloe nods, and Natalie turns to go back into her office. Dan turns to Chloe and doesn’t say anything, he just watches her.</p><p>“Still no word?” he asks.</p><p>She looks at him, then down at the file.</p><p>She shakes her head, timidly.</p><p>He signs and nods.</p><p>“What if he doesn’t come back?” she says, tears starting to form in her eyes again.</p><p>“He’ll come back,” Dan says, nodding, “He’s the devil, Right? He probably just popped on down to Hell, and he’ll be back with his regular … <em>Luciferness</em>.”</p><p>Chloe chuckles at the absurdity of it all.</p><p>“Yeah?” Dan says softly with a smile.</p><p>Chloe nods and wipes her tears away.</p><p>“and if he doesn’t, you can think of it as a good thing,” he says.</p><p>She looks at him, her smile falling.</p><p>“What?” she asks</p><p>“It took an act of God to get that guy away from you,” Dan says.</p><p>He smiles as if that is a good thing, but Chloe looks at him, unsure whether she should smile or not.</p><p>--</p><p>Father Kyle is alone in his study. He sits by the window where a beam of light pours onto a small drawing table. Here, he peacefully sketches a bird on a tree outside the window. He looks up towards the bird then down towards the page in front of him.</p><p>Outside of the confessional, and with the sun hitting him, it’s easy to see Father Kyle is young. Well, <em>younger</em> than most priests would be in such a traditional feeling church. He seems to be in his late 30’s, and despite wearing a collar, the air around him is rich with possibilities and new ideas.</p><p>His quiet time is disturbed when there is a knock on his door. He turns towards it.</p><p>“Enter,” he says.</p><p>The door opens, and in steps, a tall, dark and handsome Amenadiel with sheets of paper rolled in his hand. Father Kyle looks at him, unfamiliar with this person.</p><p>“I am sorry to disturb you,” Amenadiel says, eyeing the drawing on the desk.</p><p>Father Kyle smiles and turns to place the pencil in his hand into a pencil groove before pivoting in his chair and standing.</p><p>“I always have time for a parishioner. Though, I don’t recall seeing <em>you</em> at Sunday Services.”</p><p>“I’m, uh … new here,” Amenadiel responds.</p><p>“Mmm,” Father Kyle says in confirmation, “I’ve gathered.”</p><p>He moves towards a bigger desk in the center of the office and sits.</p><p>“So, how is your brother?”</p><p>Amenadiel tilts his head in confusion. How did he -</p><p>“I recognize your voice,” Father Kyle says with a smile, “I have a good memory.”</p><p>Amenadiel nods, “He’s fine, though I’m not sure for how long, and that is what I am here for. I … I need your help.”</p><p>Amenadiel approaches the desk and unfurls the papers in his hands. They are transcripts, Sumerian to English – at least the best he could do – of the Book of Samael.</p><p>“But first, I need your word. I need to know you can keep a secret,” he says.</p><p>Father Kyle laughs, “I run a confessional all the time,” he says.</p><p>“This isn’t just any confession,” Amenadiel retorts.</p><p>Father Kyle frowns and sighs.</p><p>He nods his head and stares at Amenadiel for much longer than Amenadiel had expected.</p><p>“Short of murder, I suppose I can give you my word,” Father Kyle says, reluctant.</p><p>“Good,” Amenadiel says, moving forward and setting the papers down in front of him.</p><p>Father Kyle immediately reaches for the pair of glasses hanging from a braided cable around his neck. Amenadiel briefly notices the faded circular scar on his hand.</p><p>“You’ve watched the news, correct? How they’ve found books from the bible?” Amenadiel asks.</p><p>The priest nods and looks up from the paper.</p><p>“Yes. Though, to be fair, those documents haven’t yet been proven to be authentic. And some of them were already stolen. I’m afraid it’s just another hoax in a long line of hoaxes.”</p><p>He looks back down at the page and begins to read it, trying to understand what it is Amenadiel wants him to do.</p><p>He pauses, his tone changing as he reads the first line.</p><p>“The book of Samael,” he says, that name sitting in his core.</p><p>He narrows his eyes and looks up at Amenadiel.</p><p>“Where did you get this?” he asks.</p><p>“I flew to Cairo,” he says.</p><p>The priest sets the papers down on the table and removes his glasses, “Theft is a cardinal sin,” he says, “It would not be right for me to participate in this kind of behavior. I would only be encouraging your-”</p><p>“Angels don’t go to hell,” Ameandiel says before pausing, “Well, at least I won’t.”</p><p>Father Kyle narrows his eyes.</p><p>Amenadiel shakes his head, “Please. It’s imperative. I need to know what this book says. It’s the only way I can save him. I believe this book will give me some clue as to what will happen, but …. It’s all parable.”</p><p>Father Kyle shakes his head and sighs, “I think it unfair you attempt to involve me in your-,” he begins to say as he stands and hands the pages back to Amenadiel.</p><p>Amenadiel shakes his head, “My father insisted there was nothing I could do, and I believe him, but… Lucifer is always subverting his will. Maybe there is a way for me to do that?”</p><p>Father Kyle pauses, a strange interest in his eyes, “Lucifer?” he asks, his tone betraying his curiosity.</p><p>He gathers himself quickly, though.</p><p>“Lucifer is not exactly the character we should be aligning ourselves with,” Father Kyle says.</p><p>“You said-“</p><p>“I said the devil had redeemable qualities, but his story is one of caution … not of inspiration,” he says.</p><p>Amenadiel shakes his head, “I’m not talking about biblical Lucifer. I’m talking about my brother.”</p><p>“Your brother’s name is Lucifer?” Father Kyle asks, the tone of his voice asking on its own why a parent would name their child after the devil.</p><p>“Yes,” Amenadiel says, “but his birth name is Samael, hence the name of the book.”</p><p>Amenadiel points to the pages of the document, and the priest looks down at it. He looks at the book then up at Amenadiel. He eyes Amenadiel over for a second before tilting his head.</p><p>“So, you’re saying your brother is Lucifer, <em>the</em> Lucifer,” he says.</p><p>“Yes,” Amenadiel says.</p><p>“and that would make you …”</p><p>“One of God’s sons, correct.”</p><p>“An Angel?” the priest says.</p><p>Amenadiel nods.</p><p>The priest slowly sits in his seat, his eyes staring at the page. He turns his head to the bookcase by the window, on which several old – and new – books sit. He stares at the bookcase for far too long.</p><p>“So, are you going to help me?” Amenadiel asks after too long of a silence.</p><p>Father Kyle turns to Amenadiel, his eyes visibly thinking.</p><p>“I believe what you need is a doctor, not a priest,” he says, his tone cautious, but the look in his eyes is …</p><p>It begs for proof.</p><p>Amenadiel shakes his head and sighs, “Fine. If I can prove it to you, will you help me?”</p><p>Father Kyle chuckles to himself, “Son, if you could prove-“ he begins before Amenadiel spread his wings wide inside the office.</p><p>The tip of his wings hits a nearby plant on the table, and it crashes to the ground.</p><p>Father Kyle pauses, his eyes wide and his jaw slack. He sits there for a moment before he falls back into his chair. Amenadiel stands there, waiting for him to say something, but he says nothing. Instead, he just stares, tears starting to come to his still wide eyes.</p><p>Amenadiel rolls his shoulders and collapses them again. The priest slowly stands, his hands shaking and tears visibly rolling down his cheek.</p><p>Amenadiel grunts to himself. Right. He had been so eager for help that he had forgotten humans, and proof of divinity did not mix well.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Amenadiel says, “I did not know what else to do. I do not have my powers so I couldn’t use them as proof.”</p><p>Father Kyle moves around the desk, approaches Amenadiel, and looks at him for a moment as if looking over every inch of a statue.</p><p>Suddenly he lurches forward and wraps his arms around Amenadiel, hugging him tightly while sobbing.</p><p>Amenadiel looks uncomfortable. He pulls a hand up and gently pats the priests back.</p><p>When the priest finally pulls away, his eyes are red, and his face is streaming with tears, but he has a giant smile on his face.</p><p>“Thank you,” he says.</p><p>Amenadiel looks at him oddly, “You’re … welcome?”</p><p>He stares at him, unsure of why he isn’t a blubbering mess like most humans.</p><p>“They told me I was crazy,” Father Kyle says, chuckling.</p><p>He sounds relieved, the enormous weight of uncertainty removed from his shoulders.</p><p>Amenadiel narrows his eyes. Why wasn’t this priest drooling over himself?</p><p>He shakes his head and supposes it doesn’t matter now. There is only one thing that matters right now.</p><p>“Does that mean you will help me?”</p><p>“Yes, yes,” Father Kyle says, suddenly exceptionally happy.</p><p>He walks back to his desk with a pep in his step and reaches down to grab the paper, pulling his glasses back up. He can’t see through the water in his eyes. So, he pulls his shirt up and begins to dab it.</p><p>“If you need time,” Amenadiel says, holding his hand out for the priest to take a moment.</p><p>“Nonsense,” he says, a smile permanently coated on his face, “I …”</p><p>The priest pauses as if a thought finally hit him. He looks up at Amenadiel, his smile fallen and a serious plea in his eyes.</p><p>“Will I be able to meet him?” he asks.</p><p>Amenadiel furrows his eyebrows, “what?”</p><p>“Your brother. Will I be able to meet him?”</p><p>“Lucifer?” he asks.</p><p>Father Kyle nods.</p><p>“Uh,” Amenadiel says, slightly offended that this is what the priest desires after just witnessing proof of divinity.</p><p>“Sure,” he says, “yeah. If we can figure out how to save him, I’m sure he would be gracious. Well, it is Lucifer we are talking about, so maybe a ‘thank you’ might be all you get, but sure.”</p><p>Father Kyle nods and pulls his glasses back on. He can see the words now, and despite the jittering in his spirit and the excited energy building in his chest, he focuses.</p><p>It was finally happening, Father Kyle thinks, after so much time it was finally happening.</p><p>Amenadiel stands there, watching with his arms folded.</p><p>Father Kyle begins to read, his lips moving slightly as his eyes roll over the words. He looks up from the page for a moment, his eyes peeking over the edge of his glasses to see Amenadiel standing there.</p><p>“Well, sit down,” he says, “It will take a while.”</p><p>Amenadiel nods and sits in the chair.</p><p>--</p><p>Inside her lab, Ella places a sample tube in the empty slot of an expensive-looking machine before closing the lid and sealing it inside. She presses a series of buttons before the machine whirrs to life. Then she turns around and picks up a clipboard, checks her watch, and writes the time down.</p><p>Suddenly her office phone rings, and she looks up to the lab table where it sits. She sets the clipboard down before peeling off the blue latex gloves on her hand and reaching for her phone.</p><p>“Hello?” she asks.</p><p>--</p><p>At her desk, Chloe sits numbing her mind via paperwork and emails. He was immortal, she thinks, there’s no way he can be dead. Maybe he’s just … maybe he’s just taking his sweet time in hell. He had told her time didn’t exist there. He could pop up two hours or two years from now, and it would still be the blink of an eye.</p><p>She pauses.</p><p>She hopes it isn’t two years from now.</p><p>“Chloe,” she hears as she turns to see Ella coming out of her lab.</p><p>“I Just got a call from the vet,” she says sadly.</p><p>Chloe furrows her eyebrows, “I didn’t know you had a pet,” she says, still fiddling with her notes.</p><p>Ella shakes her head, “I don’t, but our victim did.”</p><p>Chloe thinks for a moment, looks up, then turns her head in recognition of what Ella is talking about, “Right, Mittens,” she says, recalling the cat’s name.</p><p>Ella sighs, “Mr. Boots!”</p><p>Chloe nods, “Right. Boots. Okay, so, what did they say about Mr. Boots?”</p><p>“He died over the weekend,” Ella frowns before realizing the insensitivity of what she’s saying.</p><p>Chloe pauses. She didn’t want to hear those words.</p><p>“I’m sorry!” she says, apologizing, “I didn’t mean… I mean t-“</p><p>“It’s fine,” Chloe says, waving her off, wanting to move on as quickly as possible, to keep her from thinking about it.</p><p>“<em>God</em>,” Ella says, sighing, “I mean … I was just-“</p><p>“Just tell me,” Chloe says, now getting annoyed with the kid gloves Ella is trying to wear around her.</p><p>“Right, well. If you recall we gave the cat to the wife-“</p><p>“Ex-wife,” Chloe says, correcting her, “they were separated.”</p><p>“Right, we gave Mr. Boots to the ex-wife, and she eventually took him to the vet. Right? Because of the blood in his stools.”</p><p>“Right,” Chloe says, on track with what Ella is saying.</p><p>“Well, they did some tests, turns out he had Fungal toxicosis. <em>Really</em> bad, fungal toxicosis. They tried to bring him back, but he eventually became so out of it he just ... gave up.”</p><p>“Fungal, what?” Chloe says.</p><p>“Toxicosis. It’s what happens when spores get into the cat’s body, normally through ingestion or inhalation, and they create mycotoxins.”</p><p>“English, Ella,” Chloe says.</p><p>Ella thinks for a second,” Oh! It’s … uh like … toxic shock syndrome.”</p><p>“Oh, okay,” Chloe says, understanding that.</p><p>“Symptoms include difficulty breathing, fever, disorientation, and get this … bloody stools.”</p><p>“Okay, so … what? Someone poisoned the cat too? Seems awfully vindictive,” Chloe says.</p><p>“I don’t think the intention was to poison Mr. Boots, I think Mr. Boots was the murder weapon,” Ella says.</p><p>Chloe laughs at the absurdity of the idea. Only Ella isn’t laughing.</p><p>Chloe covers her smirks and clears her throat, “Okay so … someone, what? Used the cat to get to Fred?”</p><p>Chloe turns back to her notes and looks for any mention of Mr. Boots.</p><p>“Fungal Toxicosis is caused by fungal spores, hence the name,” Ella says</p><p>Chloe furrows her eyebrows and turns back to Ella.</p><p>“Mushrooms are a fungus,” Chloe says, understanding where Ella is going.</p><p>Ella nods, “I asked for the result of a biopsy in Mr. Boot’s lungs, I’m still waiting on them, but chances are we will get a high reading on mushroom spores.”</p><p>“Fred was allergic to mushrooms,” Chloe says, her mind starting to connect more dots in the case.</p><p>“Bingo,” Ella says.</p><p>“He loved that cat,” Chloe says, thinking out loud, “His wife called him meticulous.”</p><p>Ella sighs, “Yeah, poor guy.”</p><p>“If whatever his cat was exposed to was enough to kill Mr. Boots, my bet is it was enough to endanger Fred as well,” Chloe says.</p><p>Ella nods as Chloe nods her head to herself, formulating a plan of action.</p><p>“If we can figure how Mr. Boots was exposed,” she says, turning to Ella, determination behind her eyes, “we might be closer to finding how Fred was exposed. That might help us narrow down a suspect or at least reveal the direction we should be going.”</p><p>Ella nods.</p><p>“I’ll call the medical examiner’s office to see if we can get them to rerun tests on the contents of Mr. Miles's stomach or even the biopsies.” Ella says, “My bet is we will find evidence of mushroom spores somewhere in his system. In the meantime, I’ll run some more tests on the samples I pulled from the scene.”</p><p>Chloe stares out into space, her eyes narrowing as the gears in her head start to turn. She nods to herself. Ella watches her and nervously shifts on her feet.</p><p>“Hey uhm, we could talk about this more over like … lunch or something. I could use a break,” Ella says with a smile.</p><p>The request is soft and full of pity, but Chloe doesn’t notice. She’s too busy being preoccupied with something other than Lucifer’s death. It’s a welcome distraction.</p><p>Chloe shakes her head, “No, I think … I think I should go to Fred’s apartment,” she says, standing up, her eyes wild with the thrill of the chase, “I just … I need a refresher, you know?”</p><p>“Yeah, okay,” Ella says, nodding, “Sure, yeah. Go get ‘em!” she says.</p><p>“Knock ‘em-“ she begins before Chloe cuts her eyes to Ella. Ella swallows the last words and nods.</p><p>“I’ll keep you posted,” she says.</p><p>Chloe grabs her phone off the table, “Thanks, Ella,” she says before she heads up the steps to the precinct.</p><p>Ella lets go of a worried sigh.</p><p>“She’ll be fine,” Dan says.</p><p>Ella turns to see Dan watching her from his desk.</p><p>“<em>Eventually,</em> she’ll be fine. She’ll throw herself into her work for a bit, and then she’ll be fine. It’s what she does.”</p><p>Ella nods and turns to head back to her lab.</p><p>--</p><p> </p><p>Inside her office, Natalie is hard at work. Despite the meds she took when she woke up, the silence of her office is doing absolutely <em>nothing </em>to help her hangover. She definitely attempted to drown her feelings in alcohol last night, and it is backfiring … <em>hard.</em></p><p>She’s attempting to read over a file when an officer comes in carrying a box of <em>more </em>files. She looks up from the paper she is working on and looks at the box. She turns her eyes to him, and he looks at her with pity.</p><p>“And I thought doing the paperwork was bad,” he says, “Having to read them all and sign off on everything sounds like <em>actual</em> hell,” he says.</p><p>She nods as he sets the box down in the corner, next to a growing pile of boxes.</p><p>“Thanks,” she manages to grumble out.</p><p>He nods to her and leaves.</p><p>She looks back down at her paper and sighs before reaching over to her coffee. She takes a sip sets the cup down before going back to her file and reading over it. The painkillers weren’t helping, but the coffee was.</p><p>When she gets to the bottom, she grabs her pen and initials it in several places before closing it and turning to the box on the floor where she dumps the closed file. She turns to her coffee cup and grabs it. It is way too light. She looks at it before taking the last few sips from it and setting it down.</p><p>“Okay,” she sighs, irritated before she reaches over and grabs another file.</p><p>She sets it on her desk and opens it before sitting back and stretching.</p><p>The phone rings, and she groans before reaching down and picking up the phone.</p><p>“Edwards,” she says before pausing and listening to the person on the other line.</p><p>She tosses her head back and rolls her eyes.</p><p>“Yes, I understand,” she says, her voice suddenly having a little more professionalism into it, “We are working hard to-“</p><p>She pauses and listens.</p><p>Just then, a man rolling a cart of mail stops by her door. She looks up and holds a hand out, motioning him to come in. He tosses her a smile before inching in and handing her a stack of letters wrapped in a blue rubber band.</p><p>“Rest assured, we have our best officers patrolling the streets,” she says, “and we are running the numbers to make sure that we have enough officers on each shift for the next week.”</p><p>She nods to him, and he exits the office before pushing his cart towards the lab.</p><p>She sticks the phone between her ear and shoulder as she undoes the rubber band. Then she reaches down and opens the front drawer of her desk. Here a rubber band ball rolls to the front.</p><p>She pauses, resting her hands on the desk.</p><p>She grabs the phone with one hand, “Yes, I understand. I-” She says.</p><p>The line clicks, and she looks at it as if surprised. She grunts and hands the phone up.</p><p>She inhales deeply and tilts her head side to side, emitting small cracks from her neck. Then she rolls her shoulders to try and loosen the intense need to hit something right now.</p><p>It was bad enough she was stacked up on overflow from other departments, and half her officers were patrolling the streets for petty crimes instead of murder. Now she had the DA up her ass too.</p><p>She grabs the rubber band ball and wraps the new rubber band around it before setting the ball back in the drawer and closing it.</p><p>Then she turns to the stack of letters. She scans the names quickly, just to see if it is something that can wait until later that night. She stops on a letter addressed to her that says it is from Deputy Protos.</p><p>She furrows her eyebrows and sets the stack down before turning to the letter and tearing it open. She unfolds it and quickly scans it before pausing and sitting back in her chair. She looks up, then back down at it as though she is making sure she is reading this correctly.</p><p>She leans forward, reading slowly this time, each letter one by one until she comes to the end of the first paragraph.</p><p>“Motherfucker!” she yells out, not believing what she is reading.</p><p>It’s loud enough that a few officers close to her office turn.</p><p>--</p><p>Maze scurries down the bullpen steps, a mission set behind her eyes. She ignores passing glances from officers hoping not to interact with her and makes a B-line for the open door of Natalie’s office. Inside, Natalie paces behind her desk, her hands on her hips and mumbling to herself.</p><p>“Hey,” Maze says, stopping at the door and leaning into her office just slightly.</p><p>Her feet are already on the way somewhere else.</p><p>“Not really asking, but just a heads up. I’m going to borrow some gear from SWAT, yeah?”</p><p>She turns to leave, ready to hear an argument in protest.</p><p>Natalie waves her off, “Yeah, whatever,” she growls.</p><p>Maze pauses and looks around as if she didn’t expect that. She turns around and looks at Natalie.</p><p>“Did you hear me? I’m taking some gear. Helmets, vests...”</p><p>Natalie doesn’t respond, she just keeps pacing, a storm brewing behind her eyes.</p><p>“Maybe grenade launchers, guns … rockets?” Maze continues, her arms falling as Natalie isn’t taking the bait.</p><p>She wanted Natalie to take the bait. It wasn’t fun unless Natalie took the bait.</p><p>Natalie grunts, shaking her head as a scowl starts to crawl across her face.</p><p>“You know this only works if you react,” Maze says, stepping into Natalie’s office now displeased.</p><p>Natalie continues to pace, “You know how much time I fucking spend on this shit hole?” she asks.</p><p>Maze raises her eyes.</p><p>“I mean, look at this shit!” she says, pointing to all the stacked boxes, “Do they think I do this because I find it <em>fun</em>? Because I get off on it? No! I do it because it’s my <em>fucking </em>job!”</p><p>“<em>Okay</em>, that is a lot of <em>very strong</em> words coming from you in one sentence. What’s up your ass?” Maze says.</p><p>Maze enters the office and closes the door behind her. She gets a distinct feeling – judging by the ease in which profanity is leaving Natalie’s mouth – that this is a closed-door situation.</p><p>Natalie reaches for the letter and tosses it from her desk to Maze. Maze barely catches it – it is paper after all – then begins to read it.</p><p>“Here I thought my hard work was being rewarded. All those hours I spent turning this place around and making an <em>actual</em> difference,” Natalie says.</p><p>Natalie scoffs at herself, upset that she allowed herself to think anything she did mattered in the grand scheme of things.</p><p>Everything was a joke.</p><p>You live, you work hard, you die, and the worms eat your body.</p><p>That is it.</p><p>Maze reads the letter, her eyebrows furrowing with each sentence.</p><p>“They are replacing you?” she asks, confused yet understanding why Natalie is pissed, “I don’t get it. Your numbers are-“</p><p>“They don’t give a<em> shit</em> about numbers, or progress, or change. <em>Dickheads</em>,” she curses, “they do what they want. They think because they have titles and clearances, they can do as they please. Replace me with some … fucking <em>chode</em>. Some fucking … <em>frat boy</em>?”</p><p>Maze looks at Natalie, a smirk coming to her face.</p><p>“You’re kind of hot when you’re angry.”</p><p>Natalie turns to Maze, a piercing rage behind her eyes.</p><p>This situation is <em>absolutely </em>not funny to Natalie.</p><p>But Maze is slightly aroused by it.</p><p>“I was going to quit,” Natalie says, now laughing at how ridiculous this situation is, “I was going to leave and make them replace me but now … <em>now</em> they are going to fire me? <em>Me</em>!”</p><p>“That doesn’t make any sense, they were parading you on TV a few days ago,” Maze says.</p><p>“Yeah, because they needed to assign a face to their fucking witch hunt,” Natalie says.</p><p>She grunts, a deeply frustrated grunt. The kind of grunt one does when they are angry but powerless to do anything. Maze gets the distinct feeling Natalie isn’t used to being powerless.</p><p>Or - and much more likely for a human - she is used to it but doesn’t like it.</p><p>The officers from the bullpen start to watch from the corner of their eyes. They aren’t sure if Natalie is yelling at Maze or if Maze just happens to be there while Natalie yells. Some of them kind of wish it to be the former. If there is anyone that could put a proverbial leash on Maze, it is Natalie.</p><p>“They can’t do this,” Maze says, confused as she looks up to Natalie, “Can they?</p><p>“They only care about saving face,” Natalie says, “They fucking made me go on <em>Statewide</em> TV, show my <em>face, </em>and now they are going to fire me because it makes them look like they are saving their ass. Like they are doing something meaningful with the rise in crime. They only give a shit about what the public thinks, not how things actually work. The public feels more confident with a male in power, so give<em> rid</em> of the woman. Let’s throw her under the bus. Let’s tar and feather her. Let’s-“</p><p>Natalie pauses, her eyes narrowing even more.</p><p>Maze stares at Natalie, her eyebrows raised as if waiting for something to happen.</p><p>Then, Natalie’s rage breaks into an entirely different emotion; surprise.</p><p>The anger drops and is replaced by what appears to be shock. When Natalie next speaks, her voice is softer and light enough to sprout its own wings.</p><p>“They knew,” she says the realization hitting her like a ton of bricks as she turns to Maze, her eyes wide.</p><p>She replays every meeting she’s ever had to get her to this position. Them pulling her as a Detective, despite only being in the position for a year. Them giving her a troubled precinct instead of something easy to work with.</p><p>
  <em>They knew. </em>
</p><p>They knew she was a mistress on the side and hired her anyway. They had a built-in reason to fire her when they found someone they really wanted in the position. So, they had a scapegoat if shit ever hit the fan. So, they had someone to blame and make up for the fact that the last lieutenant disappeared and the one before that was a psychopath. She was probationary, sure, but she was only ever meant to be temporary.</p><p>They played her and – perhaps more importantly - she had fallen right into their trap because she loved her job. She had ignored all the obvious signs because she thought she deserved it.</p><p>Because she thought she could affect change.</p><p>Because she wanted to be convinced <em>so badly</em> that they needed her.</p><p>Because she <em>wanted</em> to be needed.</p><p>“You lost me,” Maze says, “can we go back to the part where you were angry and hot? That was fun.”</p><p>“They knew about Mistress when they hired me. They knew, and they put me in this position for that exact reason. They fucking set me up,” Natalie says, the shock again giving way to anger.</p><p>She scoffs, amused. She had been played.</p><p>“I can’t win,” she says, an annoyance in her voice that bleeds away into – yet again – sadness. But its darker, deeper, and less surface than Maze is used to.</p><p>“I can’t win,” she says again, her head shaking, and her shoulders dropped.</p><p>Maze stares at her for longer than she would care to admit. Her eyebrows furrowed with this strange idea. The idea that she should probably do that thing that humans like to do when another human is sad. Embrace them, or … say something to soothe them.</p><p>She wasn’t great with words, though. Action is where she excels.</p><p>They knew about her mistress, Natalie had said, perhaps she could hunt this mistress down and make them … <em>un-know</em>.</p><p>“Mistress?” Maze asks as if asking for more of an explanation.</p><p>But the rise in pitch of her voice gets lost in translation, and Natalie turns to Maze. Natalie’s response is automatic and without thought. Her brain is so preoccupied that her mouth answers before she even gets a second to think.</p><p>“Yes?” she says as if replying to a question.</p><p>Maze’s confusion turns into understanding. At the same time, they both realize what Natalie just said and what it means.</p><p>“<em>Oh</em>,” Maze says, her eyes widening in recognition.</p><p>“Oh shit,” Maze laughs, giddy.</p><p>Natalie groans and pushes herself off the front of her desk. She rolls her eyes and walks around, back to her seat.</p><p>Great, yet another thing she <em>did not </em>need to have on her plate.</p><p>“Just … get it all out so we can move on,” Natalie says as she moves back to her desk.</p><p>“Oh, the biting makes <em>so</em> much sense now!” Maze says, “I just thought you were a little too drunk, but no … that’s just<em> you</em>, isn’t it?</p><p>Natalie scoffs and turns to walk around to her desk.</p><p>“And they put my face on Statewide TV,” she says as she collapses into her chair, still upset but more upset with herself.</p><p>Upset that she didn’t say no.</p><p>Upset that she, yet again, put work before her own personal needs.</p><p>She feels like a fool.</p><p>Maybe Liz was right, Natalie hasn’t changed.</p><p>“So now every client I’ve ever worked with knows who I am now. My real name, my occupation. Who knows, from there they can find out anything. Where I went to school, the name of my first boyfriend.”</p><p>“Bisexual?” Maze says pleased.</p><p>Natalie looks at her, a sharpness behind her eyes that indicates now is not the time to ask stupid questions.</p><p>“Okay,” Maze says, “so what are you going to do about it?”</p><p>Natalie sighs, defeated.</p><p>“What can I do about it? Clearly, they are going to use Mistress against me. Plaster my face all over the news. Disgrace me in front of town and country. ”</p><p>Natalie scoffs, “It’s over. Anyone I’ve ever …”</p><p>She sighs a defeated sigh.</p><p>“They know.”</p><p>Natalie stares out at the precinct. It used to be a sign of hope, of finally doing something to affect change, to be useful … to be needed. Now it was just a reminder of how stupid she was.</p><p>She only existed here to be a pawn.</p><p>Perhaps she had always been a pawn, as someone to be used and tossed aside.</p><p>What was it about her, she wonders, that makes her so … <em>disposable</em>?</p><p>Maze watches Natalie, seeing the anger drain from her and be replaced with that fragility she hated. That human in her. She sighs and rolls her eyes to herself. She hated having to give pep talks, but … what was one more?</p><p>“Listen,” Maze says, leaning forward, “You’re a basket case, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t kind of dig it, but you’re also not a quitter. <em>Well</em>, you did try to quit your job, but that was more for saving face than… you know what fuck it. You’re <em>not</em> a quitter.”</p><p>Natalie turns to Maze, her eyes distant and sad.</p><p>Maze stands up, “If these assholes want to fire you, then you don’t make it easy for them to do that. You don’t sit down and take it like a bitch because if our evening of <em>very rough</em> sex tells me anything about you- not that I’m complaining by the way,”</p><p>Natalie narrows her eyes again, unsure of where this little speech is going.</p><p>“It’s that you don’t take no for an answer, and you most certainly do<em> not</em> just lie down and take it.”</p><p>Natalie sits back, her arms crossed, “Why do I get the feeling you are hitting on me?” she asks.</p><p>Maze shakes her head, “Look. They <em>are</em> stupid if they want to replace you, but if they are going to, don’t make it easy for them. They are going to have to work for it. You did some really good things for this department, don’t let them take that away from you.”</p><p>Natalie stares at Maze, deep in thought. Her eyes ping pong back and forth between Maze’s eyes.</p><p><em>Right?</em> Maze’s eyes say.</p><p>“You deleted my resignation letter, didn’t you?” she asks, putting it all together.</p><p>Maze was the only one that knew she was planning on resigning. She also had access to her laptop because of well …their <em>unfortunate</em> night of intimacy.</p><p>“You love your job,” Maze says, shaking her head, “Don’t let them take it away from you without a fight.”</p><p>Natalie sighs and shakes her head.</p><p>“Even if I wanted to try and stay … they have too much on me. Well, to be fair, they only have <em>one</em> thing on me, but it’s a pretty big thing. Mistress is … she is who I am. Before Liz made me hide her away. Before I <em>willingly</em> hid her away. Before she made me take all the whips, and cuffs and ball gags –“</p><p>“Mmm, please keep talking,” Maze says, closing her eyes and thinking about it.</p><p>Natalie rolls her eyes, “I’ve been … <em>half</em> of who I am. Who I want to be,” she says, “and I don’t want to do that anymore. It doesn’t work. That is why I was going to quit. I can’t be both Natalie and Mistress. Do I love my job? Absolutely. I truly do, but …”</p><p>Natalie exhales, a defeat in her voice.</p><p>“I think I love Mistress more.”</p><p>Maze nods, her arms crossed. They stare at one another for a second, the silence between them thick.</p><p>“So, if they want to … throw me on the pyre then let them. Fuck them. This precinct won’t be half as good without me here, and that is a <em>fact</em>. Numbers don’t lie. They can say whatever they want about me, but they can’t stay I was bad at my job.”</p><p>Maze groans. As much as she hated the idea of a new Lieutenant, she hated the idea of Natalie not being Lieutenant even more.</p><p>She was just starting to …</p><p>She was just starting to …<em> tolerate </em>her.</p><p>Natalie was tough. She wasn’t easy to push around. She had soft spots, sure, and if Maze wanted to exploit those, she could. But perhaps Natalie and Maze had grown to have a silent understanding. A strange dynamic where the tension is what kept them afloat.</p><p>And the <em>sex</em>. They had only had sex once, but … it was the good kind.</p><p>Natalie reminds her so much of home, but the good parts.</p><p>She also reminds her of here, of earth, but also … only the good parts.</p><p>Natalie was <em>good.</em></p><p>Natalie was … <em>tolerable.</em></p><p>She was a pain in the ass, sure, but … it was the kind of pain Maze liked. Tough, tangible. Not a single fuck given about who thought what or why.</p><p>And let’s not forget about the sex.</p><p><em>Oh</em>, the sex.</p><p>She briefly wonders if Natalie fucks the same way sober.</p><p>Yes, if Maze were honest with herself, part of her wanted to please Natalie. But that revelation, the desire to please her, is too soon. It is too … <em>real.</em></p><p>“As much as I hate to admit it,” Maze says, crossing her arms and shaking her head, “my job is kind of tied to yours.”</p><p>“Mm,” Natalie hums, staring at the letter on her desk.</p><p>“So, like, I’ll help you, but it doesn’t mean I like you or anything.”</p><p>Natalie looks at Maze, a small smile on her face.</p><p>“As much as I appreciate the nod, there is nothing you can do. They want to implode my career then … fine. Let them. Maybe it’s for the best. Maybe this is a war not worth fighting.”</p><p>“What if they don’t have anything to use against you?” Maze asks.</p><p>Natalie chuckles, “that boat has long since sailed.”</p><p>“Has it?” Maze asks, leaning on to Natalie’s desk.</p><p>Natalie looks down at Maze’s hands then up to Maze. She narrows her eyes.</p><p>“What are you suggesting?”</p><p>“My offer still stands. I’ve made bigger things disappear for much less.”</p><p>Natalie furrows her eyebrows, “I don’t want you to <em>kill </em>anybody. <em>Jesus,</em> Ms. Smith. What is wrong with you?”</p><p>Maze groans, “Look, do you want my help or not?” she says, standing up and crossing her arms again.</p><p>“I don’t want anyone to get hurt,” Natalie says, “I love my job, and my job is to prevent people from getting hurt.”</p><p>“Unless they give consent, right?” Maze says smiling.</p><p>“I-,” Natalie says, shocked an annoyed by how pushy Maze is being, “I’m going to regret telling you that, aren’t I?’ Natalie says.</p><p>Maze laughs, “Consider it a favor,” she says, heading toward the door.</p><p>“Ms. Smith, honestly just … let it go.”</p><p>“Nah. Mercy isn’t my bag,” she says, opening the door and stepping out of her office.</p><p>“Ms. Smith!” Natalie says, calling after her.</p><p>She doesn’t listen, as Natalie expects, and Natalie grunts. She reaches a hand up to quell the throbbing in her head and sighs.</p><p>Unbeknownst to her, she begins shaking her leg.</p><p>--</p><p>Maze exits Natalie’s office and turns to walk directly to the armory. She came here for some gear, and she intends to get it. On the way, she walks past the open door to Ella’s office. Ella looks up just Maze walks by.</p><p>“Maze!” Ella says.</p><p>Seconds pass, and Ella briefly wonders If Maze had heard her. That is until Maze crosses back into the doorway of the lab, her arms crossed, and a displeased look on her face.</p><p>“Hey, did you get my texts?” Ella asks.</p><p>Maze enters and approaches the lab table.</p><p>“Maybe,” she says.</p><p>Ella’s eyes take in Maze’s nonverbal signs and nods.</p><p>“You’re mad at me,” Ella says.</p><p>“Why would I be mad at you?” Maze asks, clearly upset but deflecting.</p><p>“Because you didn’t respond, and now you’re doing that thing with your face.”</p><p>Maze shrugs, “I’m not doing anything with my face. This is just how I look,” she says.</p><p>Her face is flat, no smile with dead eyes that look forward as if she were imagining the most creative ways to torture Ella.</p><p>“Look, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Utah, okay? It was kind of a quick thing, and I didn’t really have time to let anyone know.”</p><p>“Uh-huh,” Maze says, looking at Ella.</p><p>“But I’m back, <em>and</em> I brought you something,” she says, reaching down into a backpack tucked underneath her desk.</p><p>Maze watches her for a moment before Ella stands back up and brings up a small bottle of moonshine.</p><p>“Authentic Utah moonshine. Enough Alcohol to fuel a jet engine. I mean, for like two seconds but still. It would work.”</p><p>Maze looks at the bottle, then at Ella.</p><p>“I had to steal it from evidence because it's illegal, but … I mean, there was so much of it,” Ella says.</p><p>Maze narrows her eyes, indicating she knows Ella is lying. Ella is too much of a goody-two-shoes to steal anything from an evidence locker.</p><p>“Okay<em>, fine</em>. I bought it out of the back of a truck from a guy named Dale. He was actually <em>really</em> nice.”</p><p>Maze rolls her eyes and sighs.</p><p>“Fine,” she says, reaching out and grabbing the bottle, “but you owe me. I was really looking forward to raising my K/D ratio.”</p><p>“I know, I’m sorry, I ruined our game night. You must have been so bored without me,” Ella says.</p><p>Maze pauses and looks down at the bottle, “Uh yeah … you know … I mean, It was okay,” she says, her eyes roaming over to Natalie’s office. Her mind replaying that night.</p><p>--</p><p>Natalie’s apartment is quiet.</p><p>Empty.</p><p>Still.</p><p>It’s night outside, and the dim light from the city outside bleeds into the apartment.</p><p>The doorknob jiggles and is briefly followed by the sound of fumbling keys.</p><p>On the other side of the door, a small and low giggle is followed by a sultry mumble. The door opens, and Natalie and Maze pour into the apartment, their hands all over each other. Maze kicks the door closed as Natalie peels off her sweater and turns to drop her purse and laptop bag on the counter. She turns back to Maze and wraps her hands around her face before leaning in and biting her lip hard.</p><p>She pulls back, dragging Maze’s bottom lip with her as Maze laughs. She then goes back in for another kiss. Maze wraps her arms around Natalie and reaches up beneath her skirt, running her hands over Natalie’s bare flesh.</p><p>“You aren’t wearing underwear,” she says.</p><p>Natalie and smiles, “Wouldn’t you like to know?”</p><p>Natalie pulls away from Maze and eyes the flowy blouse she wears. Natalie tucks her hand beneath it and pulls it over Maze’s head in one smooth motion. It lands in Maze’s hand, and Maze lets it fall to the ground at her feet.</p><p>Natalie runs her hand down Maze’s abdomen before letting her hand sink below Maze’s waistband and down to cup Maze between her legs.</p><p>Maze smiles, her body jerking forward as Natalie pulls her close, her fingers dancing between the already wet lips between Maze’s legs.</p><p>“What’s your safe word?” Natalie asks.</p><p>“I won’t need one,” Maze responds.</p><p>Natalie leans in close, her breath hot against Maze’s neck before she lifts her head up, and their lips meet again. Maze moans softly into her mouth, Natalie’s fingers diligently playing with the sensitive nub of her clit.</p><p>Before she can get any further, Natalie pulls her hands out and pulls away from Maze. She sticks her fingers in her mouth and hums.</p><p>She steps back and stumbles slightly. Maze catches her.</p><p>“You’re drunk,” Maze says, second-guessing this.</p><p>At least when she had sex with Ella, Ella had sobered up a little.</p><p>Natalie turns her eyes to Maze. She is drunk, sure, that is obvious, but she is also horny, and Maze can see she is not going to let Maze go without a fight.</p><p>Natalie pulls her hand out her mouth, reaches out to hook her finger beneath the waistband of Maze’s pants, and pulls her towards the bedroom.</p><p>Maze is reluctant, but curious and allows Natalie to pull her into the bedroom.</p><p>Natalie turns to her as they enter her bedroom and pauses at the foot of her bed.</p><p>“Your safe word,” she asks, this time with more authority; demand.</p><p>Without even waiting for an answer, she reaches down and starts to unbuckle Maze’s belt.</p><p>“I won’t need one,” Maze says again, adamant.</p><p>She could take anything this human could do to her body.</p><p>Once it’s unbuckled, Natalie grabs the buckle and slides the belt out of the pant loops in one quick movement before snapping it loudly on the floor like a whip.</p><p>Maze looks at the belt, her eyes wide, and a pleased grin on her face. She moves to grab Natalie, but Natalie slaps Maze’s hands away. Maze cranes her head back, the offense in her eyes mixing with surprise and lust.</p><p>Natalie turns and pushes Maze onto the bed, forcing her to fall backward. Maze lands on the bed and bounces before sitting up on her elbows.</p><p>“Mm,” Natalie hums, “You will.”</p><p>Natalie reaches down and peels off her top in one smooth go. Then, she climbs into the bed and straddles Maze.</p><p>“Why?” Maze says, smiling.</p><p>Natalie reaches down and wraps her hand around Maze’s neck. Her grip is strong enough, or light enough, to not cause pain. But the intention is there and causes Maze to respond with a pleased squeal before placing her hands on Natalie’s hips.</p><p>Natalie leans down and runs her tongue up the side of Maze’s face. Once it reaches Maze’s ear, she pauses and whispers into it.</p><p>“Because I’m going to fuck you like I own you,” she says.</p><p>--</p><p>“<em>Maze</em>?” Ella says, as Maze stares off into the distance, her own moans echoing in her ears.</p><p>“Huh? Hmm?” she says, turning her attention to Ella, a tingling developing between her legs just thinking about it.</p><p>“They came out with a new map for Battle War while I was in Utah. I thought I could head out early and we could play? Maybe order some Chinese or something?”</p><p>“Oh,” Maze says, “Yeah ...”</p><p>She turns to look at Natalie’s office to see her still pacing. Suddenly Natalie stops, and turns to Maze, clarity in her eyes.</p><p>They lock eyes for a moment, and Maze recognizes the look behind Natalie’s glance. It reminded her of that night, when she was adamant Maze needed a safe word. She was so sure of herself.</p><p>She watches as Natalie opens the door to her office and walks through, heading towards the lab.</p><p>“I actually have plans,” Maze says.</p><p>“Oh,” Ella says, sounding disappointed.</p><p>“Yeah, uhm,” she says, “Lucifer is back, and it’s this whole thing with-“</p><p>“Lucifer is back?” Ella says, her attention completely moved onto that single subject.</p><p>“Yeah, he came back this morning. We are working on keeping him safe until we figure out what is happening.”</p><p>“Oh man, that’s great! Chloe has been so sad.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Maze says, “I’ve had to deal with her crying and moping all weekend.”</p><p>There is a knock on the door behind them, and they turn to see Natalie standing there. Natalie clears her throat.</p><p>“Ms. Smith, can I? … a word with you, please?”</p><p>Maze sighs and turns back to Ella. Maze shakes the bottle of moonshine and smiles.</p><p>“Thanks,” she says.</p><p>Ella nods.</p><p>Maze moves to the door, and Natalie pulls her close. Maze leans against the doorframe as Natalie speaks to her in a hushed whisper.</p><p>“I thought about it and whatever you intend to do just … don’t tell me about it, okay? Plausible deniability.”</p><p>Maze smiles, “So, you <em>want</em> me to do something?”</p><p>Natalie narrows her eyes, “I’m not saying what you should or shouldn’t do. I’m just saying I don’t want to know about it. I’ve put too much work into this precinct to let some fuckhead come in here and ruin it.”</p><p>Not when she could still do something.</p><p>When she could still make it better.</p><p>When she could affect change.</p><p>She had tried to do good by going the route of the law-abiding citizen. By using the system, but it’s clear the system wasn’t made for her. To protect her. To protect anyone.</p><p>Maze chuckles, a wide grin on her face, “Loud and clear. This conversation never happened.”</p><p>Natalie nods as Maze turns her head back to the Lab to see Ella slipping latex gloves onto her hands.</p><p>“and uhm, figuratively speaking?” Natalie asks.</p><p>“Mm,” Maze hums, turning back to Natalie.</p><p>“Break their <em>fucking</em> legs,” she says.</p><p>Maze smiles wider, bearing her teeth. Her tongue comes up and licks across her front teeth as her eyes wander, and she takes in Natalie’s body again.</p><p>She shakes her head and grunts.</p><p>“You’re so hot,” she says before grunting and pushing herself off the door frame.</p><p>“I wasn’t kidding about that gear, by the way,” Maze says as she walks away, going towards what she actually came here for.</p><p>Natalie watches her walk away for a moment before her eyebrows furrow.</p><p>“Wait, what gear?” she responds.</p><p>--</p><p>The door to Frederick Miles’ apartment unlocks and swings open. Chloe stands there with a man who has a loop of keys around his waist.</p><p>“Thanks, I’ll lock up when I’m done,” she says.</p><p>He nods and leaves.</p><p>She enters and closes the door behind her before turning to the empty apartment. It had been locked and sealed since they released the crime scene, and except for the running air conditioner, there were no signs of life.</p><p>She walks into the living room, trying to remember what it looked like when she was here the first time. She reaches into her pockets, realizing she doesn’t have to and logs into her email from her phone. Here she pulls up the photos that Ella took. She flips to a photo of the living room before looking up and comparing it.</p><p>Other than missing portraits and other personal effects, it looked the same. Nothing looks off here, so she approaches the kitchen.</p><p>The kitchen is a stark contrast to the kitchen she remembers. The counters are cleared off, and the sink is empty. It’s clear – by the smell of the fridge – that all perishable items have been removed.</p><p>It had been cleaned.</p><p>Either to make it easier for the family to deal with his belongings, or to hide evidence. She looks back at her phone and compares the images to the kitchen now. Nothing looks off here, either.</p><p>She turns and walks down the hallway and is immediately met by a stark change. She doesn’t even have to compare to see it. The carpeting up to the bedroom has been completely ripped out. She walks over the white latex sealant on the floor and turns to see the bedroom furniture pushed against one side, and the carpet here also ripped out. The forensic cleaners, the people who clean up crime scenes after everything is said and done, had been here. The carpet that was soaked in blood and other biohazards had been ripped up, the floor cleaned, and sealed to prevent residual smells from bleeding through.</p><p>She nods, the apartment did smell cleaner. She pulls up the image on her phone, the image of Frederick laying in a pool of his own fluids. It’s a familiar scene, but it isn’t the body she is looking at. She is looking at the photos on his bedside table. The broken clock from when he tried to reach for a phone. The unmade bed.</p><p>He had been a person. He had a life and family, and something here on this world to call his own.</p><p>She pauses.</p><p>Lucifer had just started to have that. For a being who had been tossed aside so callously, he was just starting to find love and happiness. He had looked at her that morning after they first made love and proclaimed how happy he felt. Almost shocked that he <em>could</em> be happy.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>He could have been so much happier.</em>
</p><p>Tears start to blur her vision, and she shakes it off, deciding instead to get back to work.</p><p>Trying hard to mask the grief. He will come back, she thinks … he had to.</p><p>She sighs and looks at the photos of the bedroom on her phone. Even if she weren’t distracted, she could see nothing here was off either.</p><p>She sighs, feeling stuck in his case. She had spoken to all of the main suspects, and no one seemed to have any motive.</p><p>Maybe this was one of those cases that looked like murder but turned out to be a series of unfortunate events. It definitely didn’t feel like the kind of murder she was used to. She wants to give up, she wants to just call it and say it was a freak accident but …</p><p>Fungal toxicosis. Mushroom spores.</p><p>She turns and walks down the hallway to the bathroom. Once there, turns and looks down the hallway towards the living room. It was a decent walk from the front door to the bathroom. If someone wanted to steal Fred’s epi-pens they would have had to walk past him. He would have seen them.</p><p>She tilts her head.</p><p>He would have had to trust them.</p><p>She turns her eyes to the open bathroom door. Here, it is relatively clean. Chloe pulls up the image of the bathroom on her phone. There doesn’t seem to be much missing from the cabinet, just small things like medicine bottles and bars of soap.</p><p>She sighs and flips through the photos for anything she needed to check. She scrolls through to a picture of the open window. She needed to check that. She scrolls through photos of the cat.</p><p>She shakes her head, why did Ella include those?</p><p>She scrolls to a picture of the cat litter box with a red, wet clump of fecal matter.</p><p>She frowns.</p><p>Poor cat.</p><p>She pauses, and her eyes narrow as she zooms in on the litter box. She stares at it for a moment before she closes the email app and dials Ella.</p><p>The phone rings for a moment before Ella picks up.</p><p>“Oh My God, Chloe. Great news!” she starts.</p><p>“The cat box is clean,” Chloe asks.</p><p>“What?” Ella asks.</p><p>“In the photo from the crime scene, the one you took of the bloody stools? The cat box is clean. Did any of your officers clean it out?”</p><p>“Uh,” Ella says, “hold on.”</p><p>Chloe waits for a moment as Ella types something into her computer.</p><p>“Oh,” she says eventually, “Yeah, no… we didn’t touch anything.”</p><p>Chloe nods, “I thought so. Don’t you think it’s odd that a man dies and is left alone in his apartment for three days, and the cat box is clean when officers arrive on the scene?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Ella says, “that is … I didn’t catch that.”</p><p>“Why would -,” Chloe begins before pausing, “the wife called Fred meticulous about his cat. Which means he probably kept the cat litter box very clean.”</p><p>“Which means he probably had exposure to the cat litter on a regular basis, just like Mr. Boots,” Ella says.</p><p>Chloe nods, “You wouldn’t have collected any of the cat litter with the fecal matter sample you pulled?”</p><p>“I hear you, and I am one step ahead of you,” Ella says, “Pulling it from storage now.”</p><p>“I have a feeling we are going to find some spores or something in that litter. It is clear at some point between Fred’s death and his discovery, the killer must have come back to clean the box. But unless they did a thorough job, we might get lucky and find some trace of what was there before. If that is the case, then our murderer has to be someone who was trusted enough to have access to the bathroom long enough to both steal epi-pens and do whatever they did to that cat litter. Then, they had to come back and clean the litter box. Perhaps through the open window.”</p><p>“Which means the wife-“ Ella begins.</p><p>“Just moved up to spot number one,” Chloe nods.</p><p>“’Til’ Death do us part, huh?” Ella laughs.</p><p>There is a pause there that feels like Ella stepped in something, and it reminds her of what she was going to say.</p><p>“Okay, “Chloe finishes, trying to move on from the thought of Lucifer, of him being gone.</p><p>“I’ll call the wife in for another interview an submit the paperwork for a search warrant. How long do you think it will take to test that litter?”</p><p>“Ten minutes,” Ella says.</p><p>“Okay good, I’ll see you in a bit.”</p><p>“Wait!” Ella says as Chloe is about to hang up.</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>“Lucifer is back.”</p><p>Chloe pauses, her heart starting to race.</p><p>“What?” she asks.</p><p>“He’s back. He came back this morning. Maze told me. She told me they are keeping him locked in his penthouse until they figure out why he died, but he’s back, Chloe.”</p><p>Chloe nods, trying not to betray the combination of emotions she feels.</p><p>“Thanks, I’ll see you soon,” she says as she hangs up.</p><p>She stares out into the empty apartment, clutching the phone in her hands. She starts to smile, even as tears form on her eyelids. It wouldn’t be real until she sees him, until she holds him, but … the thought, the relief of it all makes her laugh and cry at the same time. She brings her hands up to her mouth, holding back a chuckle that is only the precursor to a cry.</p><p>He was back. He had come back.</p><p>She shoves her phone in her pocket and quickly exits the apartment, excitement in her bones.</p><p>She shuts the door behind her and walks towards the elevator.</p><p>“Did you catch him?” a voice says</p><p>She turns to see Paisley standing outside her door.</p><p>“Huh?” Chloe asks.</p><p>“The male lover, did you catch him?” paisley asks.</p><p>Chloe shakes her head and smiles before walking slowly back to Paisley.</p><p>“They weren’t lovers, just good friends who had a fight,” Chloe says.</p><p>“I don’t know,” Paisley says, “They were saying some foul words.”</p><p>Chloe nods and crosses her arms. She narrows her eyes and looks over Paisley for a second.</p><p>“You know, you seem like a really … <em>perceptive </em>individual. Did you notice anyone else stopping by Mr. Miles’ apartment that day?” Chloe asks, “maybe a lady visitor? Dark hair, nice body?”</p><p>Paisley shakes her head, “No, he hadn’t had a lady caller since his ex-wife stopped coming by. Only that gentleman. They had to be lovers. I’m sure of it.”</p><p>“Mmm,” Chloe says, nodding.</p><p>“My money is on the gay lover. I’ve seen it before. Men having sex with men. One of the guys falls in love, but the other guy … it’s just sex to him. You know men can do that. Have sex without feeling anything.”</p><p>“Right,” Chloe says, nodding, this being way too much random opinion for her.</p><p>“I mean, they were arguing for a very long time.”</p><p>Chloe tilts her head,” a long time?”</p><p>“Mmhmm, at least half an hour.”</p><p>Chloe nods her head, her eyes moving to the side as she thinks about that. Half an hour is long enough to taint cat litter and steal epi-pens.</p><p>But his boss didn’t have any motive. Losing Fred as an employee would make it more difficult for him to run his business. What reason would he have had to kill Fred?</p><p>“What were they fighting about?” Chloe asks, “You said you heard a lot of adult language.”</p><p>Paisley nods, “Yup. Lot of name-calling going around. Perverted. Sick. Sounds like Fred was breaking up with him.”</p><p>Chloe’s eyes narrow, and she nods.</p><p>“At any point during their fight, did the conversation lull? Become silent or one-sided?”</p><p>“A few times. I thought they were done and came to the door to watch him leave.”</p><p>Chloe looks at her, implication behind her eyes.</p><p>“You know, to make sure I wouldn’t have to call the cops,” she says.</p><p>“Right,” Chloe says, appeasing her, but knowing truly that isn’t the reason,” because you’re a concerned citizen.”</p><p>“Exactly,” Paisley says, confident in herself.</p><p>“What was the longest gap in their fight?” Chloe asks.</p><p>Paisley shrugs, “I don’t know, probably three, four minutes? That’s when I checked to see if he had gone.”</p><p>Chloe nods, “Thank you, that is actually really helpful.”</p><p>Chloe turns to leave.</p><p>“Did you want to come inside?” Paisley asks, “I … I’d be happy to answer any other questions you have.</p><p>“Thanks, but I really have to make a few phone calls,” Chloe says, heading to the elevator.</p><p>Paisley watches her walk through the open doors of the elevator and sighs before walking back into her apartment and shutting the door.</p><p>--</p><p>It’s later in the evening, close to closing time, and Dan is sitting at his desk by himself. He was on desk duty, but it was better than sitting at home and watching TV. It felt good to be back, despite the nagging feeling in the back of his mind that he was supposed to do something. That there was something he forgot.</p><p>Chloe had gone home early, more eager than normal to leave. He would call her for a ride back to his place, but she had already spent the whole weekend taking care of him despite the need to be taken care of herself.</p><p>She was selfless to a fault, that one.</p><p>He sighs.</p><p>He can just call an uber when he is ready.</p><p>He types on his computer, finishing up a report when he hears an unfamiliar voice.</p><p>“Where is the Detective?”</p><p>“Detective who?“ he says, rolling his eyes up to see Ezria and Calmos standing in front of his desk.</p><p>Dan freezes, the blood draining from his face.</p><p>“The woman,” Ezria says, turning to Chloe’s desk.</p><p>There, Ezria’s eyes fall on a placard with her name, <em>Detective Chloe Decker.</em></p><p>“Chloe,” he says, turning back to Dan who – at this point – is completely catatonic.</p><p>“I have a few things she might find useful. Now that my brother is …”</p><p>He pauses, trying to sort out how he feels about Lucifer. About Lucifer dying. It still doesn’t seem possible, but … it only makes sense. Why would his brother ignore him for three days straight?</p><p>There was no mistaking; he was dead. He had summoned him over and over again that weekend to no response, and Amenadiel would never lie about something that serious.</p><p>Still, he felt like Lucifer was still there … somewhere. It was an odd feeling to know he was gone but still feel his presence. They were, after all, made of the same stardust.</p><p>Ezria takes a deep breath in and continues this sentence, “Now that he is no longer, I thought she might find more use out of these items.”</p><p>He reaches into his pocket and pulls out Lucifer’s black card and a money clip with a few bills inside of it. He sets it on Dan’s desk.</p><p>Ezria looks at Dan. Dan still stares at him, his eyes wide and a fear plastered in his eyes. Ezria tilts his head, watching him.</p><p>“I think this one is broken,” Calmos says as they stare at Dan, confused.</p><p>“Mmm,” Ezria nods in agreement before turning to Calmos.</p><p>“I believe it is time we go back,” Ezria says.</p><p>Calmos nods, “Yes, My King,” he says.</p><p>Ezria smiles. He likes the way that sounds.</p><p>He likes the way that sounds coming from Calmos.</p><p>“I love the way those words fall from your tongue,” he says as he turns and walks towards the steps.</p><p>“I think you just enjoy my tongue,” Calmos says with a chuckle.</p><p>“And?” Ezria asks.</p><p>Calmos grins. His grin falls as they walk towards the steps. Calmos’ eyes turn to Ezria, then down to his hand. Timidly he reaches out and hooks a pinky around one of Ezria’s fingers. Ezria looks down at it, then at Calmos. Calmos looks at him, cautiously, and Ezria smiles.</p><p>Ezria slides his fingers between Calmos’ and holds onto his hand with a tight grip.</p><p>They walk up the stairs, side by side, before disappearing into the main hallway.</p><p>Dan continues to stare forward, unable to hear anything besides the sound of his own heart beating. His body feels like a statue, unable to move.</p><p>Suddenly a stack of files is slammed onto his desk by an officer walking by.</p><p>“Some new cases for you to look at,” he says.</p><p>It jolts Dan out of his thousand-yard stare, and he looks down at the papers.</p><p>“but don’t get trapped into working tonight. Take all the sick time you can. This place is a madhouse lately,” the officer continues before walking away.</p><p>“T-Thanks,” he says, the word not coming smoothly from his mouth.</p><p>He blinks, feeling his pulse begin to slow. He turns his head to the steps and swallows – his throat dryer than it was before. Then he pauses and furrows his eyebrows before looking down in his lap.</p><p>His pants are wet with urine.</p><p>He peed himself. He looks up, his face immediately red as he wonders if anybody saw him. Everyone seems preoccupied.</p><p>He scoots himself closer to the desk, his eyes darting as he tries to figure out how to get out of this one without being seen.</p><p>Here he stays, wondering what he will do, but more so wondering why that just happened.</p><p>Why was he so afraid?</p><p>--</p><p>Chloe stands in her kitchen, drinking a glass of wine. She’s nervous, her hands shake, and there is an odd energy building in her body. She had called Lucifer the second she parked in the precinct parking lot. Just to see if it were true, just to hear his voice. He answered and, in that smooth voice, he told her hello. She immediately forgot what she had been doing.</p><p>The phone calls, the lab tests, the piecing together the last moments of Fred’s life. All of that had fallen to the wayside with just a hello.</p><p>She had burst into tears in the car again as he spoke with her. He had promised her he was there, that it wasn’t a dream. That he was okay. That he wanted to see her and Maze had screamed in the background there was no way.</p><p>She had tried to get back to work, but she only stared at her screen, her feet tapping and waiting until she could clock out.</p><p>Until she could see him.</p><p>And now here she was, standing in her kitchen and drinking a glass of wine to calm her nerves. Trixie had been put to bed a half-hour before, and Chloe had driven herself crazy with the anxiety of seeing him. She had hoped the wine would help, but … it only makes her more nervous.</p><p>She had been given permission to see him, or rather Lucifer had made it known he would not ignore her tonight. Maze had allowed it and was bringing him here, to her apartment, to <em>her</em>.</p><p>She didn’t know not seeing him for three days would affect her so much. It would be different if he were visiting hell, or on a trip to Vegas. <em>Hell</em>, she’d take a trip to Vegas over death at this point.</p><p>At least then she knew he would come back. The not knowing is the hard part. Having to watch him die is the hard part. She doesn’t think she could handle watching him die again. She was already a mess.</p><p>The door handle jiggles and opens as Maze steps in, an unhappy look on her face. She turns to see Chloe standing there, seconds from falling apart. The offense in her eyes falls as she turns, and Lucifer walks in.</p><p>He’s donned in a helmet and bulletproof vest that reads “SWAT” on it. He looks absolutely ridiculous, but Chloe doesn’t even notice. She just stares at him as if watching a ghost walk into her living room. They lock eyes, and immediately he sees the hurt behind her stare. Days of crying and wishing and hoping. Days of not knowing, of missing him. He sees the pain, and he knows he caused it. She sets the wine glass down and walks around the counter.</p><p>“Hi,” he says with a nervous smile, seeing how she is looking at him as if trying to determine whether or not he was real.</p><p>She looks at him, her eyes already threatening to tear up.</p><p>“I-“ he begins.</p><p>“Shut up,” she says, moving in quickly and tossing her arms around his back, holding him.</p><p>She didn’t want to hear his words or his apologies. She didn’t want to dull the sense of feeling him or smelling him, with the sound of him talking.</p><p>Of him making excuses like it were his fault.</p><p>Of him offering empty platitudes that do nothing to quell the grief.</p><p>Not like how his touch could. Not like how the warmth of his skin or the beat of his heart could unknot the rope that had tied itself tight inside her chest.</p><p>He was here.</p><p>He was alive.</p><p>He was<em> okay</em>.</p><p>She wraps her arms around him so fast it briefly knocks the air out of him, and he can feel, even over the cumbersome vest, that she is holding onto him tightly.</p><p>He slowly wraps his arms around her as Maze closes the door behind them.</p><p>“Okay, house rules,” Maze says, “He doesn’t leave this property without you or me. I would say just me, but it was a hassle keeping him away from you so…”</p><p>They say nothing in response, they just stand there holding each other.</p><p>“No knives, except for mine, obviously.”</p><p>“I missed you so much,” she says into his chest, the tears only slightly holding themselves back.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” he says softly, his chin resting on the top of her head.</p><p>“Shut up,” she says again.</p><p>“No visitors, only liquid foods, and I’m going to need to hold onto your gun for the night,” Maze continues.</p><p>Chloe furrows her eyebrows and turns to Maze.</p><p>“What?” she says, realizing Maze is talking.</p><p>“You know, so he doesn’t accidentally off himself. Until we figure out how this whole <em>thing</em> works, we gotta keep him safe.”</p><p>“Thing?” Chloe says.</p><p>“Mortality isn’t that complicated, Maze,” Lucifer says to Maze, “Humans do it every day and seem fine. I mean, look at the Detective. She deals with bad guys daily, and she’s still here.”</p><p>“Well, she’s also not the King of Hell, and I’m not <em>her</em> bodyguard. I’m yours. So, you’re going to do as I say, starting with not taking that gear off.”</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, and Maze frowns, her eyes cascading down his body.</p><p>“That’s going to make sex difficult, but … you’ve worn weirder stuff,” Maze says.</p><p>“Wait, mortality? What is she talking about?” Chloe asks, backing away from Lucifer.</p><p>He inhales, preparing himself to break the news.</p><p>“Do you remember that evening I came over? After speaking to my father?” he asks.</p><p>She blushes and nods, crossing her arms, “How could I forget?”</p><p>“Yes,” he says a smile on his face, “Well, that was the best part of the evening, I assure you.”</p><p>Maze clears her throat, beckoning Lucifer to get back on track.</p><p>“Right,” he says, reaching up to unbuckle his helmet.</p><p>“Ah, ah. Rule number three,” Maze says.</p><p>Lucifer groans, “I’m fine here, Mazikeen. Honestly,” he says, starting to get annoyed.</p><p>She raises her hands and walks away.</p><p>“It’s your mortality, “she says, frustrated as she heads up the stairs to Chloe’s bedroom.</p><p>Chloe furrows her eyebrows and watches Maze walk away before turning back to Lucifer.</p><p>“Mortality? Why does she keep saying that?”</p><p>“You remember how I constantly remind you I’m immortal?” Lucifer asks.</p><p>“Yeah,” she says.</p><p>He nods, “Yes, well, it turns out I’m not. At least not anymore.”</p><p>Chloe stares at him, her eyebrows permanently furrowed and a blank stare on her face.</p><p>“I’m sorry, what?” she says, knocked out of the immediate shock and plunged directly into confusion.</p><p>“Father seems to believe that since I wanted freedom all that time ago, that it means I should also suffer the consequences of freedom. Namely mortality. So …”</p><p>“So, you can die now?” Chloe asks to clarify.</p><p>Lucifer nods, “Yes. Well, I believe so. When I awoke this morning, I still had my wings so … some elements of my celestial origins are still intact. But … soon, yes. I will age and get sick and …eventually die.”</p><p>Chloe nods, trying to make sense of something that does not make sense at all. The devil is the devil. He is an angel, immortal. She might not understand how that all works at times, but she understands that one simple fact.</p><p>The devil is immortal.</p><p>Maze returns from Chloe’s room carrying her gun.</p><p>Chloe sees it and shakes her head, “So you’re going to devil-proof my apartment?” Chloe asks.</p><p>“<em>Our</em> apartment, and yes,” Maze responds.</p><p>“Until we figure this out, it probably is best we don’t make it easy for my father. One discharged weapon, and I could be gone again. Another three days,” Lucifer says.</p><p>“Unless you want him to disappear on you again, those are the rules,” Maze says.</p><p>Lucifer nods and reaches down to take off the vest.</p><p>“Ah, Ah,” Maze says, upset, “what did I say?”</p><p>“I’m not a child,” Lucifer says, reaching down to peel the body armor off his torso.</p><p>“You do that, and I’ll break your arms,” Maze says.</p><p>Lucifer furrows his eyebrows.</p><p>“I thought you didn’t want me to get hurt?” he asks.</p><p>“I don’t want <em>you</em> to hurt you, but that doesn’t mean<em> I</em> won’t hurt you.”</p><p>Lucifer scoffs and takes off the vest anyway, tossing it aside. Without the armor, and despite managing to still look sexy with helmet hair, he looks normal. Like regular old, non-mortal, definitely still alive, Lucifer.</p><p>Lucifer turns to Chloe and sees the worry in her eyes.</p><p>“I’m fine,” he says, reaching out and rubbing her arm, “I’m here, aren’t I?”</p><p>Chloe looks up at him and smiles before pulling her hands up around his face and kissing him.</p><p>Maze watches, crossing her arms. It was clear they were ignoring her. It was clear, and despite her insistence, he wasn’t going to play ball with her rules or suggestions. She was the keeper of the devil’s will, and now his will seemed to be … to ignore her. Her eyes drop as she processes that.</p><p>She doesn’t like the way that makes her …</p><p>She turns her eyes back to them, and the sadness bubbling in her spirit is replaced by something she has the language to understand. Arousal.</p><p>She narrows her eyes as she watches their light kissing become deeper. She tilts her head, and the offense in her face falls as she watches Lucifer pull a hand around Chloe’s waist, his hand slowly sliding down to settle on her rear end.</p><p>Maze pauses, wishing she could blend into the wall.</p><p>Maybe if she didn’t say anything, they would start sex without noticing she was there, Maze thinks.</p><p>Then she could watch.</p><p>She pauses for a moment before slowly turning her head to Trixie’s door.</p><p>Probably not with the child so close by, but one could hope.</p><p>“Come,” Chloe says, turning and leading Lucifer upstairs to her bedroom.</p><p>“You know, I have to protect him, so I will probably need to … you know, supervise,” Maze says.</p><p>They don’t even dignify her with a response as they head up the steps.</p><p>“That wasn’t a no,” she says, turning to follow them.</p><p>“No,” Chloe says sternly, her voice still very much distant as if she wasn’t even paying attention to Maze.</p><p>Maze sighs and turns back to the door where Lucifer’s discarded gear sits on the countertop.</p><p>She supposes she did want an adventure. Though, she isn’t sure<em> this</em> is the kind she wanted.</p><p>--</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Temperance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Dan deals with the residual effects of missing a soul, Lucifer and Chloe are exploring their sexual relationship in-depth, Ezria copes with the presumed death of his brother, Amenadiel seeks help from Father Kyle, Maze is in denial about her burgeoning feelings, and a trip to the rocketship leaves Chloe with a brief visit from one of Lucifer’s siblings.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>---------------------</p><p>Dan's bedroom is quiet and warm and safe. Despite what had happened to him weeks prior, the room's familiarity allows Dan to comfortably lay in his bed, silence, and all.</p><p>He had missed sleeping in his own bed. Here, he had room to spread out his limbs. Room to try and inject more air beneath his skin and the sheets because although it seems as if he is peacefully sleeping, his eyes betray that he is not.</p><p>They ping pong behind closed lids, his face scrunches up in an emotion that is hard to decode. The apartment is cool, but the movement inside his mind makes him break out into a sweat that wets the sheets beneath him.</p><p>Suddenly, Dan's eyes pop open, his breath heavy like he was running from something. He catches his breath and looks around for a moment before whatever he dreams is suddenly not the only thing on his mind. Again beside the dark lake, his bed sits with its feet dug deep into the obscenely white sand.</p><p>An impossible wind rolls by. It is devoid of sound and life despite its movement. When it touches his skin, it rolls through him as if he were porous and thin, like lace.</p><p>Goosebumps roll up his arm.</p><p>The moon again sits above him, watching him. It casts everything in a soft purple and blue haze. He debates briefly if he should get out of bed, but decides not to. He is safe as long as he is tucked beneath the sheets, or at least he believes that.</p><p>That option is quickly taken away from him as he looks down to find his toes now buried in the sand and the bed gone. His chest rises and falls, panic starting to set in again. He turns cautiously to the lake behind him. It is placid and smooth like glass – or a <em>mirror</em>. He turns towards the field, where he had walked before. There, a dark figure already stands. It faces him and watches him in the same way the moon does. He can't see its eyes, but he can feel its stare.</p><p>He turns facing it, not wanting to look away. Wanting to keep track of where it is.</p><p>Slowly he backs up. He takes one step back, and the figure is suddenly ten feet closer. Dan raises his head, a whine coming from his mouth.</p><p>"Don't do this to me, man," he says, his voice cracking and his head shaking.</p><p>He steps back again, and the figure is ten feet closer still.</p><p>Dan shakes his head no and shuts his eyes.</p><p>"No," he says, his chin trembling, tears threatening to fall from his eyes.</p><p>He had come so far. He had thought it was all over.</p><p>He opens his eyes and is startled to find the figure standing in front of him. It is dark, covered in shade and a black mist that seems to ebb and flow around it. So much so that his face is hidden. Still, Dan knows it is staring right at him. It whispers to him, like the sound of a thousand people speaking to him at once.</p><p>Asking if he is afraid.</p><p>Asking him to think about all the horrible ways he could die.</p><p>Asking him to imagine a never-ending cycle of death and rebirth, each more painful than the last.</p><p>The figure stares at him, darkness hovering over Dan. It looks at him curiously, the way a cat might look at a bug before it swipes it around.</p><p>Dan looks up at the figure, just standing and staring at him. His eyes roam over the figure in front of him, unsure of what might happen next. Suddenly it spreads its wings as if it wasn't already intimidating. Daniel turns his eyes to them as they spread. Full, healthy<em>, black</em>.</p><p>His eyebrows furrow, and in them, there is recognition.</p><p>"Ezria?" he whispers, his eyes turning back to the figure in front of him.</p><p>Even without seeing its eyes, he can feel a shift in the figure from impending doom to curiosity.</p><p>Slowly, the darkness pulls back and gives way to a familiar face. It's Lucifer's face, but his eyes are lighter.</p><p>They stare at one another for a moment, and the anger inside of Ezria breaks way.</p><p>"You know me?" Ezria asks, a soft curiosity in his voice as if pleading.</p><p>"You know <em>us</em>?" he clarifies.</p><p>When he says the word "us," his voice echoes, like him, and someone else is speaking.</p><p>"You shouldn't know us," the second voice says through Ezria's lips as the darkness slowly covers Ezria's face as if he were sinking into ink, <em>drowning</em> in it.</p><p>---------------------</p><p>In his bedroom, Dan bolts up in bed. He pants, sweat covering his face. He takes a look around and taking note of how quiet and calm it is here. He tosses the sheets off him and puts his feet onto the floor. He manages his breathing again, his eyes confused and scared.</p><p>He thought it was over.</p><p>Maybe it is just residual energy from his time without a soul. Perhaps he brought back something with him. Maybe … <em>maybe</em>.</p><p>He sighs and lays back down in bed. He keeps the covers off him, allowing the air conditioner to hit his skin and cool his body off.</p><p>He stares at the ceiling and slowly blinks.</p><p>He wants to go back to sleep, but part of him is afraid to.</p><p>He furrows his eyebrows.</p><p>He thought it was over.</p><p>---------------------</p><p>It's early morning at the Decker household, Chloe's bed is empty.</p><p>Inside her bathroom, Chloe grips tightly onto the edge of the sink bowl. Behind her, Lucifer holds onto her waist, his hips gyrating in circles as he pumps into her. He pulls himself out just enough to sink back into her as deep as he can. She tilts her head down, her hair flowing into the empty sink beneath her.</p><p>Her eyelids are heavy and hard to keep open as she breathes labored breaths into the sink. The sound bounces off of the ceramic and dives back into her ears, making her sound louder than she actually is.</p><p>All things considered, she's actually doing an excellent job of keeping quiet. Lucifer notes this and attempts to break that silence.</p><p>He reaches forward and places a hand on her back, between her shoulder blades, and holds her down.</p><p>"Enlighten me," he says, his words silky and airy, "How many times have you imagined us in this position?"</p><p>"So many times," she grunts out, her jaw slacking with each of his pinpointed thrusts.</p><p>"Yes? Did you imagine I might fill your pussy so well?"</p><p>She huffs, a moan getting caught in her throat.</p><p>"That you might make me so bloody hard?" he asks.</p><p>It was early morning, but still close to the time for Trixie to get up. She had made sure to put two doors between them and the stairwell, hoping to dampen the sound, but it didn't make it any easier. Not when he is speaking to her like that.</p><p>Not when she<em> likes</em> him speaking to her like that.</p><p>"Please," she whines over the sound of him entering her body.</p><p>She's wet. She's never been this wet for anyone.</p><p>He chuckles warmly. He loves it when they beg, but even more so when it is <em>her</em> begging. As if he would ever deny her.</p><p>"The most enjoyable part of our union, Detective, is my discovery that you enjoy it when I speak to you with colorful language."</p><p>"Please," she whines again.</p><p>He leans forward, his body pressing her against the sink and his voice close to her ears.</p><p>"Imagine my surprise when I found out how wet it makes you," he says.</p><p>She groans, her eyes rolling back in her head as he grinds himself into her.</p><p>"Lucifer," she gasps, "Please …,"</p><p>He chuckles, appeased.</p><p>"Please what, love?" he says, very aware of what she is begging him for, yet wanting her to say it aloud.</p><p>"Please," she says, matching his thrusts with a pressure of her own, "make me cum."</p><p>He hums satisfied.</p><p>"Chloe, you<em> never</em> have to ask," he says before pulling his hand off her back and returning it to her hips.</p><p>This time, he leans forward, putting his weight onto his hands - and by default onto her hips. It pins her to the sink counter. Here he picks up the pace of his thrusts, pistoning in and out of her with minimal regard for the loud clap that fills the room.</p><p>"Make me cum," she begs again, the words getting caught in her throat.</p><p>He doesn't respond. He understands her words are not words that need to be met with anything other than what he is currently doing.</p><p>With anything other than putting all his energy into maintaining the rhythm of his strokes.</p><p>"<em>Please</em>, make me cum," she says again, her voice strained.</p><p>"Please, fuck …oh fuck …please," she mutters.</p><p>It's nonsensical blabber, the words of a woman so lost in lust that the only thing she can think of is her one desire at that moment.</p><p>He grins widely, but his eyes stay focused on what he is doing. When his wings pop out, he doesn't even notice. They attempt to reach their full span, but in the confines of even her master – albeit a small master – bathroom, they can't. So, they fold behind him, and he uses them as leverage. He uses their weight as a counterweight to his own body, and he brings his knees up slightly so that they fall on either side of her body, giving him better mobility. Then, with one hand still firmly pressing his weight onto the center of her hips, he reaches around and slides his fingers between her lips, adding methodical pressure onto her clit.</p><p>"Please make me cum," she begs again, her voice arcing in pitch.</p><p>"Do it," he says, starting to pant, "I want to feel you. Come on, Chloe."</p><p>"Please, ah…" she begs, again, her words losing focus as her brain begins to melt, and all she can focus on is the warmth blooming from her gut.</p><p>"Do it, Chloe. Cum on me."</p><p>An orgasm hits her, and her jaw slacks, and her eyes shut tightly before he groans, her body letting go again and pulsating around him.</p><p>She holds her breath.</p><p>"Ohh," he says, that sound of amazement and pleasure falling from his mouth, "I change my mind. <em>This</em> is my favorite part."</p><p>He waits, keeping himself deep in her and feeling her throb around him.</p><p>She is silent for a long time, her mouth wide open and her eyes closed shut.</p><p>He slowly resumes his thrusting when her muscles stop clamping down on him so hard.</p><p>It is met with a deep breath that fills her lungs and an even deeper groan as she exhales.</p><p>Her body slacks against the counter.</p><p>"You held that one in," he whispers into her ear.</p><p>It is supposed to be a whisper, but it feels like it's a roar around her. A warm, velvety cry that peppers her skin with goosebumps and only heightens the residual tingle in her loins.</p><p>"I did," she pants before swallowing her spit, her throat somehow dry.</p><p>She drapes herself over the sink before opening her eyes and staring into the empty ceramic bowl.</p><p><em>Why was he so fucking good?</em> She thinks, before realizing he is <em>actually </em>an angel.</p><p>Perfection.</p><p>Not <em>one</em> of their sexual encounters so far has been disappointing.</p><p>Usually, sex is hit or miss. She had resigned herself to not always having an orgasm. Sometimes, if they lasted long enough, she could. But most times, she just ended up pushing <em>herself</em> over the edge or handling it after they left.</p><p>Sex then became merely an emotional outburst, something you did with someone you wanted to see happy.</p><p>But sex with Lucifer was ... <em>fuck</em>, it was good.</p><p>It was passionate.</p><p>It was carnal.</p><p>It was satisfying in a way she hadn't imagined it would be. Perhaps that had something to do with having all facets of him.</p><p>Mind, body, and soul.</p><p>She had felt jealousy for the women who he had sex with before her, for being able to experience what she had been missing. Now she only feels pity.</p><p>Pity they couldn't experience him using his wings to pin them down to a sink and fuck them until they couldn't speak.</p><p>No, sex with him was nothing like what she thought sex was.</p><p>Her average went from <em>maybe</em> one orgasm to guaranteed three, and that is the minimum before she slid her fingers through his wings in an attempt to pull him away long enough for her to think.</p><p>To think of why he shouldn't continue to do things to her body that she had only just begun to wrap her head around.</p><p>If she didn't push him over the edge in her own way and force them apart, he would continue until she was a puddle of well-fucked mush. How she isn't already a pool of well-fucked mush is … mind-boggling.</p><p>Lucifer's death had been miserable, to say the least, but it had given her brain time to reset. Otherwise, she had no doubt she would have been climbing every inch of his body until she had discovered every mole and freckle and pore. And she would do it again and again.</p><p>She kind of still wants to do it.</p><p>"You're learning," he coos as he leans down to kiss her between her shoulder blades, "I wonder what else I can teach you."</p><p>She moves to stand, gently pushing him off her.</p><p>"Careful, Darling. I imagined I drained you of the energy needed for your legs to properly function," he says.</p><p>She stands, and her legs work just fine, but barely.</p><p>That was a <em>really </em>good one.</p><p>He looks at her, disappointed, "Seems I'm not done with you yet," he says, seeing the relative ease by which she stands.</p><p>"Your ego is too big," she says with a cheeky grin.</p><p>He pulls away, and out of her and allows her to turn to face him. Her eyes immediately move to his wings. She had learned that it meant he was there, present with her, and fully letting himself go.</p><p>She smiles.</p><p>"Are we talking about my ego, or something else?" he asks, leaning into her.</p><p>She leans in as well and kisses him. It is a deep kiss, one that should <em>lead</em> to sex and not the kind that one does after it. Or, as the erection pressing against her belly indicates, the middle of it.</p><p>She still couldn't judge whether he was satisfied or not by the strength of his erection. He was <em>always</em> ready and willing.</p><p>When she pulls away from him, he smiles before leaning down to nuzzle against her neck. Here, he steadily pushes her back to the sink before lifting her up to sit on it.</p><p>"Are you ready for another?" he says with a smile, and before she can protest, he lifts her legs up and slides himself back into her.</p><p>She moans softly and pulls him closer.</p><p>He sets his hands on the counter next to her and thrusts up and into her.</p><p>She pulls his head close, into her neck, and holds onto him tightly. Then she tosses her head back and wraps her legs around his torso.</p><p>He chuckles.</p><p>"I do love how you cling to me," he says.</p><p>"I like to touch you," she responds with a satisfied smile.</p><p>He chuckles, leaning in to lick and suck softly on her neck, "You can touch me anywhere you'd like, love."</p><p>She smiles.</p><p>"Yeah?" she says, reaching down and pulling him closer by yanking on his lower back.</p><p>Her legs seal around his back, keeping him in place.</p><p>He grunts, amused, before one of her hands begins to slide upwards, towards his shoulder blades.</p><p>"Detective," he warns, seeing where this is going.</p><p>She smiles widely as he tries to pull away, and her legs don't let him. He could get away, but that would hurt her. He doesn't want to hurt her.</p><p>"Chloe, wai-" he begins to protest until his protests turn into a shudder and moan as she runs her hands through the feathers of his wings.</p><p>He grimaces, trying to hold it back, trying to keep himself from tipping over that edge, but the longer she does it, the better it feels until he can't hold back anymore, and his hands move to her hips. Here he grabs her body and holds her close to him, timing the soft grazes of her fingers with his thrusts.</p><p>She moans, holding onto them as they both begin to pant. Lucifer picks up speed in his thrusts, chasing the tension in his gut. He sticks his head back between the crook of her neck and bites down right as he pauses, pushes himself deep into her and grunts.</p><p>She hisses in pleasure and throws her head back.</p><p>The grunt is followed by a deep moan and smaller grunts, each followed by short thrusts that correspond with a new flood of ejaculate that fills the condom between them.</p><p>She hums, pleased, as he continues to groan through his orgasm, her fingers not letting up with their exploration through the pristine feathers on his back.</p><p>He leans into her body, and she lovingly continues to roam her fingers through his feathers. It causes him to shudder.</p><p>"That's <em>my </em>favorite part," she says, panting and rolling her hips, not at all surprised to find him still erect inside of her.</p><p>He shakes his head as he leans back, catching her eyes.</p><p>"How am I ever to have you for a full night if you insist on ending our rounds so early? I mean honestly, what is the rush?" he says, his lids hooded and his voice deep and relaxed.</p><p>She reaches up and caresses the side of his face, her eyes staring at him lovingly.</p><p>"It's seven in the morning, and I have to drop off Trixie before work," she says with a smile before tapping his face and pushing him away from her.</p><p>He scoffs as she pivots off the sink and moves to sit on the toilet.</p><p>"Darling, I understand you have obligations, but … it's quite frustrating when I can't even show you all I'm capable of."</p><p>He reaches down and slowly slides the full condom off of him.</p><p>She smiles as she reaches for the toilet paper.</p><p>"The next time Dan has Trixie all weekend, and I don't have a full caseload, then you can do whatever you want to me."</p><p>She thinks she might need the whole weekend to recover.</p><p>He stands up, suddenly pleased.</p><p>"Within reason," she tacks on.</p><p>"And when will this be?" he asks.</p><p>She shakes her head, "He wanted to stay at his place last night, but … I don't think he should be on his own for a few days. I didn't say anything yesterday because ... well, you came back,"</p><p>"Mm," Lucifer says in affirmation.</p><p>"But I'm going to try and convince him to stay with me at least until the weekend. Then, maybe he and Trixie will go back to his place, and you and I can stay here. Or go to yours, that's up to you."</p><p>"What about this evening? I'm sure you'd like a nightcap," he says with a wink.</p><p>She rolls her eyes, "I don't think we'll have time tonight," she says.</p><p>He nods as he ties a knot with the condom, "I suppose a break would allow us to go over the list I made."</p><p>She pauses and turns to him.</p><p>"You made a list? List for what?" she says.</p><p>"Of all the delightful things we could do to one another's orifices."</p><p>She closes her eyes and shakes her head, "Of course you did," she says to herself.</p><p>"I thought you would meet my forethought with enthusiasm. I've taken all the guesswork out of it."</p><p>She sighs, "Lucifer … we don't need a list. Why are we even talking about this now? We just <em>started</em> having sex and … I don't know, I think we're pretty good at it."</p><p>He raises his eyebrows at her, and she corrects herself.</p><p>"I mean you … <em>you're</em> pretty good at it."</p><p><em>He's damn good at it,</em> she thinks.</p><p>He chuckles and shakes his head before leaning forward and tossing the condom into the trashcan near the toilet.</p><p>"<em>We</em> are good at it, detective. Despite your three-round average, I never leave unsatisfied."</p><p>"You're keeping count?" she asks, her eyebrows raised.</p><p>"Of course I am," he says, shocked that she would ask that.</p><p>"Of course you are," she says to herself, her head shaking but a small smile curving into her lips.</p><p>She chuckles, and he turns to open the shower door.</p><p>"That was our last condom anyway," he says.</p><p>"We've been through the whole pack?" she asks, surprised.</p><p>She didn't think they had <em>that</em> much sex. She briefly counts in her head, her surprise slowly fading the more she thinks.</p><p>"I suppose we do have lost time to make up for," she says.</p><p>He nods, "Yes. Can you believe you've denied yourself pleasure all this time? I get a bad rap, but it seems you humans are gluttons for punishment."</p><p>She rolls her eyes.</p><p>The shower cuts on, and he sticks his hand in to feel the temperature.</p><p>He sighs, his hand feeling the growing warmth of the water.</p><p>"I was hoping there would come a point where you no longer required protection, but I believe we will be stuck needing to use those from now on. Now that I'm becoming mortal, who knows what might happen if my seed gets into you unabated. You mortals love to procreate. Especially with your track record."</p><p>She narrows her eyes, and Lucifer pauses.</p><p>"As lovely as she is," he follows up, almost as a clarification.</p><p>"Uh-huh," she says, her tone second-guessing why she is having sex with this guy. She pauses, then remembers.</p><p>It's <em>outstanding</em> sex.</p><p>She lets go of a sigh.</p><p>"Don't remind me. Every time we have sex, the brief thought runs through my head that if God<em> really</em> wanted to be a Grandfather, he could do it."</p><p>Lucifer pauses, then furrows his eyebrows. He relaxes his shoulders.</p><p>"Great, now <em>I</em> have that thought in my head," he says, upset.</p><p>"You're welcome," she says, laughing.</p><p>Suddenly she starts peeing, and her whole body relaxes.</p><p>"Finally," she sighs.</p><p>He pauses and turns to her before a grin comes to his face.</p><p>"Oh," he says pleased, "things I thought we'd never add to our repertoire."</p><p>"No," she says flatly, holding out a hand, "Just no."</p><p>---------------------</p><p>A few minutes later, Chloe descends the staircase and hits the last step. She stops when she sees Trixie already up, dressed, and eating a bowl of cereal. She looks around, peeking into Maze’s empty room.</p><p>“Good Morning Monkey, where is Maze?” she says, hoping that Trixie hadn’t heard any of what had happened upstairs.</p><p>Trixie shoves a spoonful of cereal into her mouth, right as Chloe says that. She looks up at her and starts to mumble something.</p><p>“Baby, don’t talk with your mouth full,” Chloe says.</p><p>Chloe’s eyes roll up to the TV as the credits for a cartoon roll right before the morning news begins.</p><p><em>“Today’s top stories, The Egyptian government’s capital library is on full lockdown as one of the unearthed biblical scrolls end up missing,</em>” it says before switching to a feed of a man standing outside of Johnson’s Funeral Home.</p><p>
  <em>“Then, we talk to the mortician who claims the body of a John Doe got up and walked away after three days. It has some community members a little shocked.”</em>
</p><p>The TV switches over to a man standing in front of the funeral home next to a reporter.</p><p>
  <em>“It’s the end times, right? Bodies just getting up and walking around. The rise in crime. My sister’s friend was arrested for theft, and she didn’t know what got into her. She says she was possessed! I’m telling you all you need to get right with the lord,” he says.</em>
</p><p>Chloe reaches out and turns off the TV.</p><p>“Did you do your homework?” Chloe says, changing the subject from whatever was on the news</p><p>Trixie swallows her bite, “Yes,” she says, an elongation in her word that makes Chloe question it.</p><p>She narrows her eyes before shuffling over to the counter.</p><p>“Where is Maze?”</p><p>“She said she had to go break some bones,” Trixie says, shrugging, “She left a note on the counter.”</p><p>Trixie takes another big bite, and Chloe turns to the kitchen counter, where a single sheet of paper sits.</p><p>“Early in the morning? That’s … unusual,” she says.</p><p>She doesn’t recall Maze being on a hunt. She usually lives on vampire time when she is not hunting fugitives.</p><p>Chloe approaches the note and picks it up.</p><p><em>Decker,</em> it reads, <em>had to go do some stuff. You’re on devil duty until I get back. Maybe he will actually listen to you. Don’t fuck this up.</em> – Maze</p><p>Chloe scoffs and balls the paper up before tossing it in the trash can.</p><p>Chloe shuffles into the kitchen and opens a cabinet.</p><p>She reaches for the coffee canister as Trixie pulls herself away from the coffee table, walks into the kitchen, and sets her bowl in the sink. Chloe smiles.</p><p>Then, Trixie starts to clean the bowl with a soapy sponge. Chloe turns to her, shocked by what she is seeing.</p><p>“Uh, what are you doing?” Chloe asks.</p><p>Trixie turns to her briefly before turning back to her bowl.</p><p>“I’m washing out my bowl,” she says.</p><p>“Yeah, I can see that, but … you normally just leave it in the sink for me.”</p><p>Trixie shrugs, “Maze doesn’t like it when I do that. She says by the time she was my height, she had learned to carve a bowl from a skull.”</p><p>Chloe stares at her. Trixie takes the clean bowl and places it on a nearby dish rack.</p><p>She turns to Chloe.</p><p>“I don’t want to drink out of a skull, mommy,” Trixie says disgusted before turning and walking into her bedroom.</p><p>Chloe just stares at her, unsure if she should be angry with Maze or happy. That was one less bowl she had to wash.</p><p>“Right …,” she says, her eyes narrowed.</p><p>“Well, Just give me a few minutes, and I can drive you to school, okay, Monkey?” Chloe says, turning on the coffee pot and turning to walk up the steps.</p><p>“It’s okay mommy, I’ll take the bus.”</p><p>Chloe starts to laugh, but Trixie doesn’t see what is funny about it.</p><p>“That’s funny, monkey. I’ll only be ten minutes.”</p><p>“Noo,” Trixie whines, “I want to take the bus.”</p><p>Chloe pauses, her eyebrows furrowed.</p><p>“Baby,“ Chloe says, “You’re not old enough to ride the bus alone. We’ve been over this.”</p><p>She approaches Trixie and kneels down to her level before setting her hands on either side of her hips and pulling her close.</p><p>“I know I’ve been a little distant lately with work and …<em>things</em>. But I still think about you every second of every day, okay?”</p><p>She pets Trixie’s hair and looks at it for a moment.</p><p>It could be combed better.</p><p>She should comb it better.</p><p>Trixie grunts in annoyance.</p><p>“That’s why I’ve been getting Maze to-“ Chloe continues.</p><p>Chloe pauses. Suddenly realizing why Trixie insists on taking the bus. She turns to Trixie, her eyes wide as if understanding. Trixie sees it and lowers her head a little.</p><p>“I’ve been taking the bus,” she says, “and I really like it. I made a new friend, and the bus driver lady calls me Tinkerbell.”</p><p>Chloe takes a deep breath and sighs. She pulls Trixie close and holds on tight.</p><p>“Why do you have to grow up?” she says.</p><p>Trixie rolls her eyes.</p><p>“I’m going to be late, mommy,” she says.</p><p>Chloe pulls away from her and nods.</p><p>“Okay,” she says reluctantly, “but I’m going to walk you to the bus stop.”</p><p>Trixie groans.</p><p>“<em>And </em>I’m going to brush your hair again,” she says, standing up and heading towards the steps.</p><p>Trixie whines as Chloe runs up the steps.</p><p>---------------------</p><p>Inside her bathroom, Lucifer steps out of the shower and grabs a towel off the counter. He briefly wipes himself down before exiting the bathroom to find Chloe tossing on a simple pair of sweatpants and a shirt.</p><p>“Please don’t tell me they’ve instituted a casual Monday,” he says.</p><p>Chloe shakes her head, upset.</p><p>“Your demon friend has been letting Trixie take the bus in the mornings, and now she likes it. What kind of mom would I be if I said <em>‘No baby, you can’t go to school with your friends</em>.<em> You know, that thing you’ve been doing for … who knows how long.’</em>”</p><p>Lucifer just stares at her.</p><p>“I … okay,” he says, unsure how this is a bad thing.</p><p>Or how this is his fault.</p><p>Somehow this feels like his fault.</p><p>“So no, I’m just going to walk her to the bus stop and make sure she gets on the bus safely. Then I’m going to come back and get dressed for work.”</p><p>“Darling, that is what Cassius is for. He’s an excellent guard dog. Why do you think I gifted him to you?”</p><p>“I’m not sending my kid to school with a hellhound, Lucifer.”</p><p>“And why not? He’s fiercely loyal, faithful, and –“</p><p>“Could eat the soul of a child that so much as<em> looks</em> at Trixie the wrong way,” Chloe says.</p><p>Lucifer pauses. He thinks about it for a moment.</p><p>“Mm,” he nods, “excellent point. Though given children’s propensity to be <em>‘big meanies’ </em>that might help cull the herd.”</p><p>Chloe sighs, exasperated, “I gotta go, I’ll be back in a few minutes,” she says.</p><p>She exits the room, and Lucifer follows behind her.</p><p>“It’s not all bad,” he says as he descends the steps in his towel, “A little independence might help the little cretan to-“<br/><br/></p><p>When he reaches the bottom, he sees Trixie, her backpack still on, sitting on the couch with her arms crossed, fuming.</p><p>Trixie’s eyes turn up to him, and the anger behind them shifts to intrigue. He pulls the towel closer around him and hisses as if she were wearing garlic around her neck.</p><p>“Spawn,” he nods cordially before turning and heading back up the stairs, clinging to the towel to keep it from slipping a single millimeter.</p><p>This was too awkward.</p><p>Chloe turns to him, shaking her head in annoyance at his continued insistence to call Trixie by anything other than her nickname.</p><p>She sighs and waves Trixie over.</p><p>“Come here,” Chloe says.</p><p>Trixie turns to see a brush in Chloe’s hands. She stands and shuffles over to Chloe. Chloe begins to brush her hair, and Trixie stands there, trying to retain her anger, but …she has so many questions she wants to ask.</p><p>“Mommy?” she says, her eyebrows furrowed.</p><p>“Yes, baby?” Chloe says, removing an ill-placed barette from Trixie’s hair.</p><p>“Are you and Lucifer practicing to make a baby?” she asks.</p><p>Chloe’s eyes widen, and she just stares at Trixie, her face getting red.</p><p>Trixie’s eyes widen. She knows what that red face means.</p><p>She hops up and down with excitement.</p><p>“Am I going to get a baby brother?!” she screams.</p><p>Chloe shushes her and turns her eyes up to the steps. Lucifer would have a heart attack if he heard that and given his current condition … it might <em>literally</em> kill him.</p><p>“Can I name him?” Trixie whispers, eyes shimmering with the prospect of a sibling.</p><p>Chloe laughs, but in a way that makes it clear she is uncomfortable and wants to avoid this conversation like the plague.</p><p>“I … baby, that’s … no. We are not trying to make a baby,” she says.</p><p><em>There is no domestic intent behind what he does to her</em>, she thinks.</p><p>Trixie’s shoulders slump, and she lets out a big sigh.</p><p>“Why not?” she whines.</p><p>Chloe smiles at how innocent the line of questioning is. The question of whether Lucifer and her are having sex seems only aimed at the outcome, at a sibling.</p><p>She sighs and brings Trixie closer, wrapping her arms around her.</p><p>“One day, monkey, you are going to make the <em>best</em> older sister anyone can ever ask for.”</p><p>Trixie smiles, and Chloe leans in, narrowing her eyes playfully.</p><p>“Just not anytime soon,” she says.</p><p>Trixie sighs, and Chloe goes back to brushing Trixie’s hair.</p><p>Once her hair is finished, she stands up and sets the brush on the counter.</p><p>“Come on, I’ll walk you to the bus stop,” Chloe says.</p><p>---------------------</p><p>In Hell, in his private quarters, a shirtless Ezria sits at the edge of his bed, brooding.</p><p>Lucifer wasn’t in Hell.</p><p>He had searched in the most common places for him, but he was not here. Which meant he was either in the Silver City or …</p><p>Or, he had been sent to the void.</p><p>Like the demons.</p><p>
  <em>Like Uriel.</em>
</p><p>The door opens, and Calmos, wearing a new pair of linen shorts and a linen vest walks in. Ezria looks up as Calmos splays his arms and spins.</p><p>“What do you think? I had one of the cloth makers make me something that actually fit me.”</p><p>Calmos pulls at the vest, proud that he has his own clothing and not tattered hand me downs.</p><p>Ezria smiles softly.</p><p>“You look good,” he says.</p><p>Calmos smiles and closes the door behind him.</p><p>“I thought I’d give you the honor of disrobing me,” he says, walking up to Ezria.</p><p>Ezria’s smile falls as Calmos kneels in front of him.</p><p>Calmos’ smile falls as he sees the look on Ezria’s face.</p><p>“What’s wrong?” he asks.</p><p>Ezria shakes his head, “Nothing, I just …”</p><p>He pauses, trying to figure out how to say what he wants to say. How to say it without him sounding weak.</p><p>“I can’t believe he’s dead,” Ezria says, just starting to sit in that realization.</p><p>“I thought on our return he’d be here. Upset that, yet again, his body had betrayed him. But … he’s not here, is he?”</p><p>Calmos frowns, unsure of what to say.</p><p>Ezria nods, noticing the look in Calmos’ eyes. Ezria didn’t know what to say either.</p><p>“Perhaps I can make you feel better?” Calmos asks.</p><p>Calmos’ hands slide up Ezria’s leg. Ezria looks down at them and shakes his head. He moves to stand as Calmos sits back.</p><p>“I think I would like to be alone,” he says.</p><p>“Oh,” Calmos says, trying not to feel rejected by that.</p><p><em>“Trying”</em> being the keyword.</p><p>He stands, rubbing his arm in discomfort, “Okay, I … I guess I will go.”</p><p>“No,” Ezria says as he turns to a nearby chair and grabs a shirt to throw on, “You stay here. I will go. I’d like you to be here when I return.”</p><p>Calmos nods and moves to sit on the bed or, rather, the raised stone platform covered in thick cotton cloth. Calling it, a bed seemed insulting after sleeping on a mattress.</p><p>Ezria buttons his shirt as he exits.</p><p>Calmos watches as Ezria leaves, unsure. He didn’t know if Ezria’s sudden disinterest was due to him dealing with Lucifer’s death, or maybe their tryst had only been meant for Earth?</p><p>Maybe Ezria wouldn’t want to be seen with someone like him. Someone <em>weak</em>.</p><p>Had he overthought their affair? Why would he think that Ezria would have the same feelings for him when faced with a world where he could do anything? When any demon, male or female, would quickly succumb to his desires.</p><p>Calmos crosses his arms, trying not to let that thought sink into his head.</p><p>
  <em> Trying.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>---------------------</p><p>Outside the room, Ezria walks into the main hallway before descending the spiral steps into the makeshift city below. Here he walks the aisles, the words and movements of demons nearby being a background to the various thoughts inside his head.</p><p>Lucifer was gone.</p><p>
  <em>Dead.</em>
</p><p>His brother, his other half.</p><p>Despite his mistake of locking him in that cage, Lucifer had been the only brother who had any trust or love for him.</p><p>Even when they were young.</p><p><em>Especially</em> when they were young.</p><p>And now he was dead. Gone. Lost to the void.</p><p>If the demons knew Lucifer was dead, they'd riot. They'd war like they had before the angels arrived. When they had tried – and mostly failed - to decide who should rule. They needed a leader, but … Ezria is unsure. Calmos had briefly instilled him with confidence, but it was short-lived. The reality of leading was more frightening.</p><p>Having that authority and power. He had wanted the respect and fear that came with it, but not the responsibility.</p><p>How would he lead? The demons didn't respect or fear him, so why would they follow his lead? He had needed more time to gain their attention.</p><p>What if he couldn't do it?</p><p>Ezria stops, something drawing his attention. He turns his eyes to look down a small alleyway between buildings. It was familiar.</p><p>He walks down it, his feet stepping over bones and ash. When he comes out, he is at the face of a giant caldera. Along its side, a rocky path winds down into the center like a corkscrew.</p><p>He peeks down to its center to see a giant lake of lava.</p><p>This was his lake.</p><p>The lake with the cage.</p><p>He stands there for a moment. He hadn't been back to that room since he escaped. Since he was freed.</p><p>Would it be any less constricting?</p><p>Would it be any warmer, more inviting?</p><p>He begins his descent, growing more nervous with each footstep.</p><p>He continues on past the weeping prisoners that cry out for hope when there is none.</p><p>He ignores them and continues forward until he reaches the last door, <em>his</em> door.</p><p>The further down he walks, the more silent the cells become until the finds room that held his cage. It is unlocked and open.</p><p>He stares into the darkness of the room, trying to remember what it was like to be in there. He walks forward, making sure not to cross the threshold.</p><p>He needed a moment of silence, a moment to think. But he wasn't foolish enough to want to be back in this room. For as much as it promised him clarity, it was also a reminder of how trapped he was. How he had to steel his mind and escape his body for a reprieve.</p><p>The inside of this room sits as he remembers it. Quiet yet echoed. Dark yet warm with the light of the lake behind him.</p><p>He had come so far to be freed.</p><p>"Is that you?" a voice whispers in his ear.</p><p>He narrows his eyes, trying to see into the dark.</p><p>"Come closer," It says.</p><p>"Hello?" Ezria asks, "Who is in there?"</p><p>"Let me see you," it says, the voice hot against his ear.</p><p>He turns around, fear running up his spine, only to find nothing there.</p><p>He narrows his eyes, looks down the winding path, then turns back to the cell.</p><p>There was something else there, something … <em>strong</em>.</p><p>"You left me so alone," the voice whispers, "you <em>must</em> take me with you."</p><p>Ezria slowly backs away from the room.</p><p>"You simply must," the voice whispers in his ear again, this time it's coming from behind him.</p><p>The hairs on the back of his neck stand up, and he spins around and looks down to see him standing at the very edge of the rocky path, his toes only inches from the bubbling lava lake. His eyes trail up, and he locks eyes on the platform in the center of the lava lake.</p><p>Here he stares at the black cube that sits in its center. It shines and looks polished like a single black gem. In it, he can barely make out the small shimmer of light that twists and turns with each popping lava bubble around it.</p><p>"Come closer," the voice whispers.</p><p>Ezria steps back, away from the lava lake. His heart beats through his chest.</p><p>He had come so far to be freed, and he has the intense feeling he was about to be caged again.</p><p>He shakes his head and stumbles up the pathway. Once he catches his footing, he runs. Then when he is far enough away from the lake, he flies. He flies straight up and out of the caldera until the whispering stops.</p><p>His heart beats roughly in his chest, like the sputtering engine of an old car. He brings a hand up to it. He feels it pounding beneath his palm, threatening to break free from his rib cage. His arms shake with the excitement of whatever that was.</p><p>He feels like he did after he killed that demon.</p><p>He feels … <em>alive</em>.</p><p>He laughs freely as if he had somehow dodged a moving train. That laughter turns from thankful levity to maniacal laughter.</p><p>Demons walking on the pathways nearby stop and turn to look at him. He is in the sky, his black wings spread wide with sharp daggers on each end. He laughs maniacally. They look up at him briefly before walking a little faster to wherever they are going.</p><p>--</p><p>Inside Ezria’s private quarters, Calmos sits patiently on the bed. He stares at the ground, thoughts running through his mind that make him feel …<em>uneasy.</em></p><p>What if he had made a mistake in choosing Ezria? In being intimate with him? In thinking it meant something?</p><p>He had hope, and that hope felt good.</p><p>He doesn’t know how he would face hell without it because now he was questioning it, and the alternative felt <em>terrible.</em></p><p>Suddenly the door opens, and Ezria steps in, his chest rising and falling as he pants.</p><p>Calmos turns his head to him, his eyes wide.</p><p>Ezria slams the door behind him and stares at Calmos with a dark hunger.</p><p>Calmos furrows his eyebrows, “Are you well?” he asks.</p><p>Ezria reaches out and rips his shirt – or rather Lucifer’s shirt – open before walking with purpose towards Calmos.</p><p>Calmos’ eyes widen, and he is ready to run right as Ezria approaches him, wraps his hands around Calmos’ head, and kisses him deeply,<em> passionately</em>.</p><p>Calmos reaches out and plants a hand on his bare chest. He can feel his heart beating, thumping even, impossibly strong.</p><p>Ezria pulls himself away and reaches down to unbutton his pants.</p><p>“I … are you sure you want to do this right now?” Calmos asks.</p><p>The last time he saw Ezria, Ezria was profoundly uninterested in sex.</p><p>Ezria nods.</p><p>“I’m going to fuck you, and then we’re going to turn this world into our own,” he says, slipping out of his pants.</p><p>“I … What?” Calmos says, his mind parsing that information.</p><p>“Ezria you- you’re much <em>bigger</em> than I am,” Calmos says, suddenly shy.</p><p>“I am aware,” Ezria responds, kicking his pants to the side, his dick already getting hard.</p><p>“I’m not used to … <em>things</em> in me,” Calmos says, “I - I think we may have to save that for another time?”</p><p>Ezria pauses and stares at Calmos. Calmos looks back at him, nervous energy wafting off him like heat off the pavement. Ezria tilts his head and nods.</p><p>“Okay, right. Okay, so you’re going to fuck <em>me,</em> and<em> then</em> we’re going to turn this place around,” Ezria says.</p><p>Calmos smiles, “Okay.”</p><p>Ezria reaches out and grabs Calmos’ vest.</p><p>“Wait!” he says, holding onto Ezria’s hands.</p><p>Ezria furrows his eyebrows.</p><p>“I just … I just got these,” he says, pushing Ezria’s hands away and slowly unbuttoning his vest.</p><p>Ezria groans and tosses his head back.</p><p>Calmos was making this decidedly less sexy.</p><p>Ezria stands there as Calmos slowly pulls off his vest and folds it. Then Calmos unbuttons his pants and lets them drop to his feet before reaching down and folding that too.</p><p>Ezria stands there, his eyes narrowed and his hand slowly stroking his cock. He can be patient, but that doesn’t mean he wants to be right now.</p><p>Calmos turns to him, and Ezria arcs his eyebrow.</p><p>“Okay, Let’s-“ Calmos starts.</p><p>He can’t even finish before Ezria wraps his arms around Calmos, and they fall back onto the “bed” behind them.</p><p>
  <strong>--</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>In the courtyard between two large office towers, Maze sits on a bench in front of a tall tree. She leans forward, chewing a large bite of the burger in her hand. Her eyes look around, on alert for the man she is looking for. She tracked him down to a particular office in one of the towers and is waiting for him to come outside.</p><p>She already had a run-in with the security guards here and didn’t feel like getting into trouble over breaking their arms… <em>again</em>. She swallows and takes another bite of her burger. She tears at it, like a hyena eating flesh from a fresh kill. She nods her head, her eyes narrowed.</p><p>Get this guy, do Natalie’s thing, and go back to Lucifer and protect his organs.</p><p>That’s her list. That is her plan.</p><p><em>It’s a good plan</em>, she thinks.</p><p>She swallows and takes another large bite, almost finishing her burger, just as a mother and her small daughter walk by. The child can’t be more than four years old. Maze stops chewing, and her eyebrows unfurrow. She watches as the mother and daughter duo walks down the courtyard, hand in hand.</p><p>Suddenly, the child trips and falls onto the floor. Maze immediately stands up, as if ready to go into action. The mother kneels down and picks the child up as it begins to cry.</p><p>“It’s okay,” the mother says, placating the child with a sweet, gentle voice.</p><p>The mom reaches down to brush the dirt off the child’s scraped knee.</p><p>Maze watches as the mother leans down and kisses the knee. The child stops wailing and sniffs.</p><p>“Better?” the mother says, holding her daughter close. The little girl nods.</p><p>Maze stares, watching as the mother continues to soothe her daughter. A small smile – however sad it might be – develops in the corner of her mouth. She imagines it is her and Trixie, or better yet … her and a child of her own. Her eyes drop, thinking about how that might work. How it might be to raise a child in hell like she had been raised.</p><p>She scoffs at the idea.</p><p>
  <em>Raised.</em>
</p><p>She wasn’t raised so much as she survived. She had never been helpless, only small. Never coddled, only strengthened.</p><p>Her eyes move back to the woman and her daughter. The woman holds her daughter close, her daughter’s head resting on the woman’s shoulder. The woman stands, picking her daughter up and allowing her to rest along her chest.</p><p>No, Maze had never been coddled, but part of her wonders what it might have been like to have a mother who cared about a simple scratch on the knee.</p><p>Instead, she had no one. No one but herself.</p><p>That thought sits with her, deeper than it should. So deep that the tears it pulls up are only met with confusion. It had never been anything but a passing, factual thought before. But now, for some reason, that thought had thorns. Thorns that hooked and stung and …<em> hurt</em>.</p><p>Her confusion turns into frustration and anger. This feeling is too much to process, too confusing, too … <em>unknown</em>.</p><p>That’s when her eyes snap up to the building she had been watching, and she sees the man she is looking for. He exits the building, dressed down in short, salmon-colored shorts, his eyes scanning nervously around as he walks.</p><p>She shoves the last bite of the burger into her mouth and crumples the wrapper in her hand. She walks forward, tossing the wrapper into a trash can and wiping her mouth with the back of her long sleeve shirt.</p><p>She passes the mother and daughter just as she swallows. The mother walks slowly now, her hand patting the back of her child.</p><p>“Walk it off,” Maze grumbles between her teeth as she walks past.</p><p>The woman pauses and turns her head to Maze, confused. Unsure if Maze was talking to herself or them.</p><p>Maze presses forward, her eyes set on one thing.</p><p>“Matthew Hamilton?” she asks, her eyes narrowed as she approaches him.</p><p>He turns to her on hearing his name, his eyebrows raised, “N-No I,” he says.</p><p>She approaches the man and grabs him by the collar. He tries to grab her hand to remove her grip, but she is stronger than he anticipated.</p><p>“Don’t lie to me. I’m In a bad mood, and I already don’t like you,” she says.</p><p>He shakes his head, reaching down into his pocket.</p><p>“What do you want? I-I can give you money,” he says.</p><p>She rolls her eyes, then turns and slams him to the ground. He hits it with a thud and wails.</p><p>“I’m not here to rob you,” she says, reaching around and grabbing his arms to pull behind his back, “I’m here to take you to jail.”</p><p>When she says that, he begins to struggle, and she kneels down, planting her knee between his shoulder blades.</p><p>“I told you I’m in a bad mood,” she growls.</p><p>She pulls his arm back to subdue him, to keep him from moving as she pulls out the handcuffs attached to her waist. He begins to scream. People nearby stop to see what is happening.</p><p>“You’re hurting him!” a woman nearby says, gasping.</p><p>“Hey, hey!” a man ways, coming to help the man on the ground.</p><p>“Get this crazy bitch off me!” he screams, trying to get someone watching to help.</p><p> </p><p>Maze chuckles, a sick amusement in her voice, “I wasn’t going to break your arm, but now you’re just asking for it.”</p><p>“What?” Matthew says.</p><p>She pulls his arm back further, and his arm responds by releasing a terrifying crunch.</p><p>He screams out in pain just as a man lays a hand on Maze’s shoulder, ready to pull her off. She legs go of Matthew only momentarily. Just long enough to turn around, grab the man’s hand from her shoulder and use it to flip him over her and onto his back. He lands with a thud and groans as he rocks, trying to lessen the pain in his back.</p><p>The woman nearby yelps and pulls out her phone, “I’m calling the cops!” she says.</p><p>“Great,” Maze says, “I think this one is going to have trouble driving. We could use a ride.”</p><p>She looks down on Matthew, his right arm slack against the concrete. He begins to cry as he screams in pain.</p><p>“What do I do!?” he asks, “I .. I didn’t do anything!”</p><p>“Other than jumping bail for tax evasion and reckless endangerment?” she asks, before leaning in and whispering into his ear.</p><p>“You’re a scumbag, and I don’t like you,” she says.</p><p>
  <strong>------------</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>Chloe and Lucifer descend the steps into the bullpen in mid-conversation. There is amusement on Lucifer’s lips and a casual air around him that makes it seem like he hasn’t just returned from the dead.</p><p>“The end of the world?!” Lucifer asks, chuckle beneath his words.</p><p>“You should have seen it,” Chloe says, “Everyone is freaking out over the rise in crime. Add onto that new pages in the bible and a dead guy walking, I can see how they are freaking out.”</p><p>She approaches her desk and sits. She pulls her chair up to her desk as Lucifer takes his seat next to her.</p><p>“I understand, but this is hardly a biblical plague,” Lucifer says.</p><p>She turns to him.</p><p>“You people love to turn a simple case of mistaken identity into the end times,” he continues.</p><p>She stares at him, just taking him in.</p><p>“What?” he asks, looking down at his suit and wondering if he had spilled something on himself.</p><p>“Nothing,” she says, turning back to her desk.</p><p>She was suddenly feeling silly for how much she liked that he was back in his seat. He had only been gone – <em>dead </em>– for a few days, but …</p><p>“I uhm …is there anything we can do to help you?” she asks.</p><p>“Hmm?” he says, turning to her.</p><p>“This whole mortality thing. Maybe we can do something to stop it, you know… revert it?”</p><p>“Why would you want to do that?” he asks, his eyebrows furrowed.</p><p>“I don’t know, maybe I don’t want you to die on me again?” she asks, as if the answer was obvious.</p><p>He smiles and shakes his head.</p><p>“When this is all over with, you and I can be mortal together. Hmm? Grow old, become incontinent, and foolish. I imagine a lowered sex drive might be quite an interesting change of pace for me.”</p><p>“You … you think about that stuff?” she asks, surprised.</p><p>“Well, of course. I’m no psychologist, but I’m certain Dr. Martin would make mention that it seems no coincidence that the night I found out I was to become mortal was the same night you and I had sex.”</p><p>She sits straight up and looks around before leaning in and lowering her voice.</p><p>“Lucifer! We’re at work.”</p><p>“Darling, it’s nothing to be ashamed about.”</p><p>She sits backs and shakes her head, “Lucifer, life isn’t a fairy tale. What if this thing between us is just … momentary? What if in a few years you decide, or <em>we</em> decide it just won't work? Then what?”</p><p>He furrows his eyebrows, unable to fathom a point in which he wouldn’t give up the whole world for her.</p><p>“I love you,” he says again, confused, “Why would I ever do such a thing?”</p><p>She shakes her head and sighs, “At one point, I truly loved Dan.”</p><p>“That’s different,” he says.</p><p>“Is it?” she asks.</p><p>He leans forward, his tone serious.</p><p>“I will <em>always</em> love you,” he says, his eyes not moving from her own.</p><p>She believes him. She believes that <em>he</em> believes he isn’t lying, but love changes. This kind of love feels unstable. Like they had spent the entire time they’ve known each other denying how badly they wanted to feel the other’s touch.</p><p>Now that they had it, now that they were satiating that desire, soon the flame would die down, and they would be left with reality. Or maybe, she feels she would be left with reality. That’s how it usually goes. That’s the way love goes.</p><p>But this is his first time, he has never experienced it. To him, this feeling is as immortal as he used to be. Undying and unwavering.</p><p>“Lucifer,” she says, sighing, “I … I love you too, but …I’m going to be honest. It’s too much pressure.”</p><p>He tilts his head and narrows his eyes.</p><p>“I don’t want to be the reason you become human,” she says, shaking her head, “I don’t want you to give up anything for me.”</p><p>“I would give up <em>everything</em> for you,” he says, his eyes narrowed, “You know that.”</p><p>She nods, “I know, but I love you the way you are: immortality and all. Anything else, and I would … I would feel guilty trying to change anything about you. Well, except for the having sex with other people part.”</p><p>He chuckles and sighs before sitting back.</p><p>“Well, no need to get your guilt engine roaring to life, Love. It’s not up to you or me,” Lucifer says, “it is independent of what happens between us. I’ve just chosen not to fight it.”</p><p>“So … you’re not doing it <em>because</em> of me?” she asks.</p><p>He smiles and shakes his head, “No. I’m just choosing to see the silver lining.”</p><p>She nods, and a small smile crooks onto her face.</p><p>“Okay,” she says, a burden lifted off her shoulders.</p><p>They sit in silence as she flips through pages on her desk before turning back to her computer.</p><p>He watches her momentarily.</p><p>“Detective,” he says, ”Now that you’ve gotten that horrible impression off your chest, I asked Mazikeen to retrieve the list I made. I figured we could-“</p><p>“You know, if Maze sees you without your protective gear on she might <em>actually</em> kill you,’ Chloe laughs.</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, “She’s overly protective,” he says, “Certainly it is her nature to be, but there is such a thing as being overzealous.”</p><p>Chloe types in her password into her computer before her eyes catch note of a name on a notepad.</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, amused.</p><p>“What?” Chloe asks, turning her eyes to him.</p><p>“I was just finding it …<em>amusing</em> that Maze frets over me. Though, I suppose it would make sense. She has always been keen to protect me. Even before she was my sentinel.”</p><p>He smiles to himself, reliving pleasant memories.</p><p>Chloe watches him, a small smile on her face. She seems happy to see him content.</p><p>He turns to her and realizes she is watching him. He clears his throat.</p><p>“Right, as I was saying. I would like for you to look it over and let me know what you think.”</p><p>She nods, “Fine, if you stop bringing it up and at work of all places,” she says.</p><p>She turns back to her screen. Her eyes fall on the sticky note near her keyboard.</p><p>She tilts her head.</p><p>“Gregory,” she says, her eyebrows furrowed.</p><p>She had written his name down, meaning to check into him after the story from the neighbor.</p><p>No way he and Fred were gay lovers, but … she would take any lead at this point.</p><p>“Pardon?” he says.</p><p>She turns back to her computer and does a search on a Gregory Charles. She pulls up his file. She had seen this all before.</p><p>His height, his weight, his country of origin.</p><p>No priors, nothing.</p><p>She grunts.</p><p>She leans back in her chair, “This case is … this case is frustrating,” she says.</p><p>“Perhaps I can be of service?” he asks.</p><p>She sighs, “Lucifer, I told you. Not at work.”</p><p>He chuckles, “Darling, while I am pleased to know that my body is an ever-present thought on your mind, I was referring to helping you with the case.”</p><p>She pauses, “Oh,” she says, sitting up, “Right. Because we are … partners. <em>Professionals</em>.”</p><p>He lets go a deep, knowing chuckle of amusement, immensely pleased she is finally flustered in his presence.</p><p>
  <em>Took her long enough.</em>
</p><p>He sits back and crosses his legs, “So, what do we have then? Hmm?” he asks.</p><p>She sighs and sits up before reaching for the file on her desk.</p><p>“I interviewed the wife a second time about the divorce papers, and she said it was a bluff. She was trying to get Fred help, and she thought serving him those papers would be a wakeup call.”</p><p>“An ultimatum,” he says.</p><p>She nods.</p><p>“Because that’s done wonders for her so far,” he continues.</p><p>“Either way,” Chloe continues, “The only two people who had access to that apartment the night of his death were Regina and Greg. I spoke with the neighbor who again confirmed Greg was there shortly before the time of death. She said they were arguing for half an hour, and Regina confirmed she saw them arguing through the window. But Regina only mentioned catching the last five minutes of their fight.”</p><p>“Leaving him 25 minutes to shove the poison down our victim's throat,” Lucifer says.</p><p>“Yes, that’s what I thought, but I kept thinking about that open window. The pictures of the crime scene indicate that someone had entered the apartment sometime <em>after</em> Fred’s death to clean the litter box. The front door was locked but-“</p><p>“the window wasn’t,” Lucifer says.</p><p>She nods.</p><p>“We didn’t pull any prints off the window, but considering Regina used it as an entry point often, it only makes sense that she would use it as an entry point to get into the apartment afterward.”</p><p>Lucifer shakes his head, “but she said she never entered the apartment.”</p><p>“That night. She said she never entered it that night.”</p><p>Lucifer raises his head as if it were dawning on him. Lucifer hums grimly.</p><p>“I assume Gregory was the only visitor that evening? He would have been an excellent person to blame for Fred’s death. He had access and had been caught fighting with poor Frederick the night of the crime.”</p><p>Chloe nods, “What If it wasn’t an ultimatum? What if she really tried to finally divorce him?”</p><p>“The question then becomes why she wanted to divorce him so badly that murder became the only option,” Lucifer says.</p><p>She nods to herself, her eyes narrowing.</p><p>“It’s the only thing we don’t have. A motive,” she says, groaning as she leans forward and plants her head in her hands.</p><p>“Without a motive, they are both equally as culpable,” she says.</p><p>“Mmm, I love a good tag team,” Lucifer says.</p><p>She lifts her head up, her eyes narrowing.</p><p>“Used to,” he says, “Well I still do, but I imagine-“</p><p>“Don’t finish that,” Chloe says.</p><p>He shrugs as if to say “Your Loss,” and leans back in his chair.</p><p>She sits up and leans back in her chair, crossing her arms.</p><p>“They both have things to lose with Fred dying and truly nothing to gain. Unless we’re missing a suspect, I just … I don’t know.”</p><p>They sit in silence, and Chloe stands up quickly.</p><p>“Detective?” Lucifer says, his tone questioning.</p><p>“I’m going to see if Ella has any test results for me,” she says.</p><p>She leaves just as Lucifer sees Dan turning the corner from the copy room. Dan walks slowly, leaning on a cane, while the other hand carries a stack of paper.</p><p>Lucifer stands up as Dan approaches.</p><p>“Douche,” he says, nodding.</p><p>Dan scoffs.</p><p>“Nice to see you too. How was death?” he asks.</p><p>Lucifer furrows his eyebrows and turns to see as Dan walks past him.</p><p>“I would say I’ve had better but … this whole mortality thing is new to me.”</p><p>Dan nods and slaps the paper down on his desk.</p><p>“Doesn’t get any better,” Dan says, slowly setting himself down in the seat.</p><p>He groans as his butt hits the seat. He sounds like a man twice his age.</p><p>He pauses, and his eyebrows furrow before he turns up to Lucifer.</p><p>“Mortality?” he asks as if it had just registered what he said.</p><p>“Yes, death, the necessity to eat, and what I imagine might be the ability to catch diseases.”</p><p>Lucifer pauses, “I should consult a physician about getting shots,” he says to himself.</p><p>Dan shakes his head, “I … wow, man. I’m … I’m sorry?” he says, unsure if it is something he should be apologetic about.</p><p>Lucifer nods, “Yes, well, what is done is done. No need crying over spilled soul tar.”</p><p>Lucifer nods towards Dan’s cane, “Your legs should be functioning fine by now, why are you using a cane? An angel feather is a cure-all.”</p><p>Dan sighs and sits back, “I’m physically capable,” he says, nodding, “but …the mental stuff is still there. Nightmares, visions …the whole nine.”</p><p>Lucifer sighs and approaches Dan’s desk before sitting sideways on it, facing him.</p><p>“Doctors say it's psychosomatic. All in my head,” he says, nodding to himself.</p><p>“I truly am sorry, Daniel,” Lucifer says, “but it was the only thing we could do to break your contract as a messenger.”</p><p>Dan scoffs, “Yeah, I get that. I do … doesn’t make it any fairer, does it?”</p><p>Lucifer frowns.</p><p>“Father doesn’t really care about fair, unfortunately,” he says, “I learned that lesson a long time ago.”</p><p>Dan shakes his head, “It’s fine, honestly. The worst is over, and … if all I got left to show for the shitshow that happened is a few bad dreams, then I’ll take it. Those will disappear with time too.”</p><p>Lucifer narrows his eyes while looking at him. Dan shrugs, ready to change the topic.</p><p>“It’s no big deal, really. I can function off a few hours of sleep.”</p><p>“If you’d like-“ Lucifer begins.</p><p><em>“No</em>. No, I don’t want you to do any <em>magic </em>or whatever.”</p><p>Lucifer furrows his eyebrows and leans back slightly, taken aback.</p><p>“How dare you,” Lucifer says offended, “Magic is for 12-year-olds and pedophiles.”</p><p>Lucifer pauses and thinks for a second.</p><p>“How odd I’ve never realized the overlap,” he says silently to himself.</p><p>Down the steps behind him, Maze walks the gentleman she tackled earlier down the steps and hands him over to an officer who comes to claim him. She turns and sees Lucifer standing there and her shoulder drop. She wasn’t happy before, and she’s definitely not happy now.</p><p>“I’m done, okay?” Dan says.</p><p>“No more … <em>whatever</em>,” he continues, waving his hands towards Lucifer.</p><p>“I don’t need to be fixed, okay? I just … I can deal with it on my own. I’m just happy whatever you did worked. I can deal with the residuals.”</p><p>Dan shakes his head, upset at himself.</p><p>“I almost left my little girl,” he says, way past sad and now just pissed at himself.</p><p>“Yes,” Lucifer says, staring at him, “The Detective mentioned you might be spending the week with her and the spaw… Trixie.”</p><p>Dan shakes his head, “I don’t need to. She really helped me out these past few days, but I feel better. I can manage on my own. I already put her through so much.”</p><p>Lucifer narrows his eyes, “Yes, but against my stronger desires, I’m going to have to insist.”</p><p>“What?” Dan asks.</p><p>“It’s quite unlike me to willingly cockblock myself,” Lucifer says just as surprised as Dan is, “but if your … <em>residuals</em> are as upsetting as you are making them seem, you might benefit from having the child near you to serve as a reminder of what you almost did. Well, in a pleasant way.”</p><p>Dan narrows his eyes, “Are you … are you saying you are worried?” he asks.</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, “How absurd Daniel. I am merely suggesting that you might sleep better if you weren’t alone.”</p><p>Dan’s eyes fall as he thinks about what Lucifer has said, really putting thought into it.</p><p>“Here,” Lucifer hears just as a packet of papers is jutted in front of him.</p><p>He turns to see an angry Maze looking at him.</p><p>“Mazikeen, your timing – as always – is impeccable. Glad to see at least that hasn’t changed.”</p><p>“I’m not your messenger,” she says.</p><p>Lucifer inhales sharply and turns to Dan. Maze turns her head to Dan too before realizing what she said.</p><p>“Oh,” she says.</p><p>Dan shakes his head and waves them off.</p><p>“I’m fine, really,” Dan says.</p><p>Lucifer narrows his eyes and nods, “Yes … you are,” he says, leaning forward.</p><p>“Why isn’t it that you’ve yet to panic over my revealed nature?” he asks.</p><p>Dan scoffs, “There’s nothing you could do that would be worst than what I’ve already been through,” he says.</p><p>Lucifer looks at him for a moment and tilts his head, “I wouldn’t be too sure about that.”</p><p>They lock eyes for a moment, and Dan shakes his head.</p><p>“You’re a prick,” he says, “but you’re not …”</p><p>He’s not what? His face isn’t she sky? He isn’t whispers in the night? He doesn’t make silence feel like … like death?</p><p>“Besides,” Dan says, turning his trailing off into a smile, “You went through a lot of trouble to get my soul back. I think that means you like me.”</p><p>Lucifer scoffs and sits back in his seat, “Don’t read too much into it. If it weren’t for your proximity to the Detective, I might have just let you rot.”</p><p>Dan chuckles and shakes his head, “Uh huh, sure.”</p><p>“Take it,” Maze says to Lucifer. He turns and looks down at the stack of papers in her hands.</p><p>Lucifer stands and takes the papers from Maze.</p><p>“Thank you, Mazikeen, always so helpful.”</p><p>She looks him over for a second, her eyes narrowed.</p><p>“Where’s your gear?”</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, “I don’t-“</p><p>“Lucifer, I <em>will</em> break your-“ she begins to say right as the sound of laughter fills her ears.</p><p>She turns to Natalie’s office to see Natalie sitting in her office with Liz. Natalie isn’t even behind her desk, she’s sitting in the seat next to Liz with back turned to the door.</p><p>Maze stops talking, and her eyes raise before narrowing in suspicion.</p><p>“I’ll be fine,” Lucifer says, brushing her off as he flips through the pages of the list. It seems … shorter than he remembers.</p><p>Suddenly Liz jumps up, excitement and joy in her body and reaches out to wrap her arms around Natalie. Natalie responds by locking up like a bad knee in winter. Her hands coming up to tap Liz’s arms with reservation.</p><p>“What are they doing?” Maze says, nodding towards Natalie’s office.</p><p>Lucifer looks up at them and scoffs.</p><p>“What makes you think I have any interest in –“ he begins before he pauses.</p><p>He sees the way Maze is looking at Liz and Natalie, and his eyes drop up and down her frame before a devious smile comes to his face. He steps closer to Maze, into her space, his voice lowered.</p><p>“More importantly, why do you care?” he asks, intrigued.</p><p>Maze crosses her arms and shakes her head, “I don’t.”</p><p>She turns to him, her jaw tight, and her eyes locked on him.</p><p>“Was just curious.”</p><p>Lucifer narrows his eyes.</p><p>“Curious?” he asks.</p><p>She pauses and realizes what she said.</p><p>“Shut up and keep your fucking gear on,” she says the annoyance in her eyes.</p><p>“Mazikeen, you are being impossible. I’m fine,” Lucifer says.</p><p>She shakes her head, looking at him as if he were impossible.</p><p>“You’re not going to wear it, are you? If Chloe told you to wear it, you would.”</p><p>“Well, the Detective seems to see things as they are,” he says, “<em>Fine</em>.”</p><p>She scoffs, stunned.</p><p>“Why am I the only one who is trying to protect you?” she asks, her arms folded.</p><p>“Well, I don’t require your protection anymore, do I? It isn’t your job anymore, is it?” he asks, a sharpness to his words.</p><p>Her indignation falls, and she stares at him.</p><p>“Fine,” she says after a long period of silence, “I hear you loud and clear. You don’t need me anymore.”</p><p>Lucifer’s shoulders drop as she turns to leave.</p><p>“Maze,” he says, his tone softer now.</p><p>She doesn’t respond, she just shakes her head as she heads up the stairs.</p><p>“Mazikeen!” he yells after her, but she doesn’t respond.</p><p>He lets out a deep sigh and turns to the list in his hands.</p><p>-----------</p><p>“So someone mixed dried mushroom powder into the cat litter and then what? Just waited for Mr. Boots to stomp all over Fred?” Chloe asks.</p><p>Ella shrugs as she moves back to her lab table, a test tube in her gloved hands. She shakes the tube as she speaks.</p><p>“From his medical records, he seemed highly allergic to mushroom. If he got enough of the spores in his lungs it would have triggered an allergic reaction that might have seen him dead within …five, ten minutes.”</p><p>“Mm,” Chloe says, nodding and thinking.</p><p>She reaches a hand up to rub her neck as she thinks, and it shifts her collar just enough that Ella can see the small bruise on her collar bone from where Lucifer bit her.</p><p>She walks around the table and reaches out to flip Chloe’s collar down. Chloe quickly moves out the way and turns to her.</p><p>“What are you doing?” she asks.</p><p>“You have a bruise on your neck,” Ella says concerned, “What did you-“</p><p>Behind her, Lucifer approaches with the stapled pages of paper in his hand.</p><p>“Lucifer!” Ella says, moving quickly from that subject to hugging Lucifer.</p><p>“Oh I was so worried,” she says, “I came back from Utah, and you were gone and-“</p><p>“It’s quite alright,” Lucifer says, patting her back reluctantly.</p><p>She pulls away from him, still shaking the tube in her hands.</p><p>“I assure you all is well. Nothing to get worked up over,” he continues.</p><p>Ella shifts on her feet back and forth as if she needs to pee. Lucifer notices and sighs.</p><p>“Go on, ask your question,” he says.</p><p>“How was it? Was it scary? Did your life flash before your eyes? Ooh! Did you go to hell but like in your own hell?” she asks.</p><p>“Ella!” Chloe says, shocked.</p><p>“It’s quite alright, Detective,” Lucifer says, holding his hand out, “Humans are notoriously curious, and I <em>have</em> promised Ms. Lopez I would answer all her questions regarding the celestial. I did a poor job the last time so … it’s only fair I give a freebie.”</p><p>Ella turns and moves back into her position before checking her watch to see how long she has been shaking this tube.</p><p>Lucifer sighs and nods.</p><p>Death.</p><p>Mortality.</p><p>“Funny you should ask,” he begins, “I don’t believe I felt much of anything. The process wasn’t much to balk about, but it’s aftermath …”</p><p>He shakes his head, unable to put it into words, “I can’t quite explain it but … I do feel different.”</p><p>It felt different. Knowing his flesh were stuck to his bones was different than feeling it. Of feeling the weightiness that – ironically – comes with having fewer doors to open.</p><p>
  <em>Death.</em>
</p><p>He had questioned what that was like, but then he had experienced it. It was somehow … <em>calmer</em> than he had pictured. Perhaps he was so used to seeing it from the other end. The brutal ways in which humans ended each other. To experience it as one of them, as someone suffering from their own mortality, that was different.</p><p>The way Azrael had described her job was always harsh. She would rip the soul from the body. From souls clinging to a vessel that was too broken to house it.</p><p>He pauses, and his eyebrows furrow.</p><p>He hadn’t seen Azrael when he died. He didn’t witness her reaping him and taking him to … that place.</p><p>To Limbo.</p><p>He had only awoken there as if he had fallen asleep on the black and white pebbles in the thick white fog.</p><p>No Azrael wasn’t there.</p><p>“Death is not like I pictured it would be,” he says, almost disappointed.</p><p>Chloe reaches up and wraps her hands around his. He turns to her hand and looks at it.</p><p>“I didn’t feel any pain. I wasn’t frightened. I actually don’t truly recall the point of my death. I suppose that has much to do with its methodology but …”</p><p>He turns back to Ella.</p><p>“I’m sorry, Ms. Lopez I don’t have any gory details for you. I chocked on a steak, attempted to dislodge it from my windpipe, and was unsuccessful. Then I awoke in limbo.”</p><p>Ella’s eyes raise, “Limbo? What’s that like?”</p><p>He chuckles, “Foggy and inhospitable,” he says.</p><p>Chloe nods and clears her throat. The idea of his death still uncomfortable.</p><p>“Can we … get back to the case now? You know, the one where we are trying to decide which of our two main suspects did it?”</p><p>Lucifer nods, “I say we just arrest them both and move on with our day.”</p><p>He pauses, giving a second thought to it, “Actually, let’s arrest the wife. I’ll need to purchase more condoms, and I can’t do that if Gregory is behind bars.”</p><p>Ella blinks, her eyes raised, trying to make sure she heard that correctly.</p><p>“Lucifer!” Chloe nudges him, telling him to shut up.</p><p>“No, you’re absolutely right, Detective. This is more important. Besides, I could purchase them online,” he says, pulling out his phone, “ They do overnight shipping correct? We may have to go with the pull out method this evening.”</p><p>“Oh, my God!” Chloe says, turning to him and slapping him on the arm.</p><p>“<em>Oh, my God</em>!” Ella echoes, but for a completely different reason.</p><p>“Language,” Lucifer says, looking at them both, unsure who to be more upset at.</p><p>“You two are finally doing it?” Ella asks, the test tube in her hand momentarily given a break from being shook.</p><p>Now <em>she</em> was shook.</p><p>Her eyes widen more, remembering the mark on Chloe’s neck.</p><p>“That’s a hickey!” she says.</p><p>Chloe turns around, the door wide open, but no one paying them any mind.</p><p>“Shh!” she says, her eyes on a swivel.</p><p>“Holy fuck,<em> finally</em>,” Ella says, going back to shaking the test tube.</p><p>“Holy fuck indeed,” Lucifer says, a deep grin on his face.</p><p>Chloe shakes her head, “Lucifer,” she whispers, the embarrassment in her voice.</p><p>“I swear if I had to sit here and watch you two eye fuck each other for another month,” Ella says, “ I was going to-“</p><p>Her eyes flip to Chloe, staring at her with a “kill me now” face.</p><p>She nods and shuts her mouth, “Right. Yes. Congratulations is what I meant to say.”</p><p>Chloe sighs and shakes her head, “Do you have anything?” she says, “any...weird and random fact you can give us that would help us out.”</p><p>Chloe shifts on her feet, the embarrassment of this moment too much for her body to handle. Sure, it was Ella, and Ella was harmless, but she had hoped to keep her and Lucifer’s private life more, well … <em>private.</em></p><p>“Uh,” Ella says, her eyes wide and flipping back and forth between Lucifer.</p><p>“Always pee afterwards?” she says, though her tone is more asking as if to say she had nothing to really suggest.</p><p>What does one exactly suggest for sleeping with the devil? Any suggestion she might have is child’s play to him.</p><p>Chloe shuts her eyes, “About the case, Ella.”</p><p>“Oh, right. Yes, uhm …,” she says.</p><p>She thinks for a moment before a frown comes over her face.</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“Great,” Chloe says, “another dead end.”</p><p>Lucifer pulls the list from behind his back and hands it to Chloe, “Perhaps now would be an excellent segue into getting you to look at the list I’ve prepared.”</p><p>Chloe looks down at the list he has pushed in front of her then back at Lucifer.</p><p>“Really? Now? Here?” she says.</p><p>“Well, what better way to give you clarity on a cold case than to distract yourself with something different.”</p><p>“He has a point,” Ella says.</p><p>Chloe grabs the list and slams it down on the lab table beside her.</p><p>“Can I … a word?” she says, pushing Lucifer to the corner of the lab.</p><p>Lucifer backs up to the corner, and she lowers her voice, looking him dead in the eyes with a controlled, but <em>very</em> present rage.</p><p>“What part of “I don’t want other people knowing about our sex lives” did you not understand?”</p><p>“Darling, it’s just Ms. Lopez.”</p><p>“I don’t care,” she says, “there are certain things you don’t talk to other people about. Especially when I already told you I didn’t want to discuss this kind of stuff with anyone.”</p><p>He furrows his eyebrows, deep confusion on his face.</p><p>“But you already broached this topic with Dr. Martin. I don’t recall you asking <em>my</em> permission before you did that,” he says, annoyed at her hypocrisy.</p><p>She shakes her head, “That was not what happened,” she says.</p><p>“So you didn’t tell her about our incident?” he says, knowing she is lying.</p><p>Chloe shakes her head, “I did, but I didn’t tell her what <em>position</em> we were on or …or anything about the <em>act</em> itself.”</p><p>Lucifer’s shoulders drop, and he thinks he understands.</p><p>“So you’re<em> not</em> upset that Ms. Lopez knows we are physically intimate, you are upset with the prospect of her being privy to the <em>details</em> of said intimacy.”</p><p>Chloe narrows her eyes, “For a being that has literally witnessed the birth of humanity, you can be so dense sometimes.”</p><p>“Darling, there is nothing wrong about what two consenting adults do.”</p><p>“That’s not the point, you know that,” she says.</p><p>Behind them, a curios Ella reaches over and grabs the list off the table. She begins to read it and nods as if what she is reading is normal stuff. The further down the list she gets, however, the more that nod turns into surprise, then into an impressed nod and finally into a cheeky smile that colors her cheeks red.</p><p>“Do you …,” Chloe says, the anger starting to fade as he just stares at her with those eyes.</p><p>Those eyes that say he didn’t know she would be so upset. That he hadn’t meant to upset her. That whatever he was doing, he did out sincerity and not duplicity.</p><p>“Do you think I’m boring?” she asks.</p><p>“No,” he says softly, “never.”</p><p>She crosses her arms, her eyes averted from him.</p><p>“So why do you need to make a list? Why can’t it just be … <em>organic</em>?”</p><p>Her eyes cautiously meet his to find him staring at her, a softness behind his eyes.</p><p>“With most women I know what they want because they tell me. Because I pull at their darkest, deepest fantasies.”</p><p>His eyes drop down her body, then back to her eyes.</p><p>“I can’t do that with you. I’ve tried, but … I’m beginning to believe you don’t know.”</p><p>She shakes her head, “I’m a simple woman Lucifer.”</p><p>He narrows his eyes, “I don’t think you are Detective. I believe you to be the most complex and fascinating creature my father has ever had the pleasure of making.”</p><p>She just stares at him, her head shaking as if she still can’t believe he did what he did.</p><p>“Well, after me, of course,” he says cheekily.</p><p>She scoffs, a smile falling onto the corner of her mouth.</p><p>“<em>Oh</em>, she liked that one,” he says with a smile.</p><p>She rolls her eyes, but he can tell by the smile on her face she’s not as angry anymore.</p><p>“Yeah?” he asks.</p><p>“Shut up, I’m still mad at you,” she says, knocking the smile off her face, but her words still sound light and airy.</p><p>Her tone a far cry from the rage she had only moments ago.</p><p>He raises his hands, “Point made, Detective. From now on, all conversations involving the details of our sexual life stays between you and me.”</p><p>She nods, “<em>Thank you</em>.”</p><p>“What is a …” Ella says.</p><p>They turn to see her with a marker cap In her mouth and a thick, black sharpie marker in her hand. She holds the list, her eyes squinting.</p><p>“Breakfast special?” she asks, looking up.</p><p>Chloe turns and looks at Lucifer. They stare at one another for a moment, and she sighs and rolls her eyes.</p><p>“<em>Fine</em>,” she says, crossing her arms, “after this.”</p><p>Resigned to have won at least one fight pertaining to this particular subject.</p><p>He happily saunters to the lab desk as Chloe slowly approaches after him.</p><p>“Oh, that’s one of my favorites. It’s when I wake my partner up by licking maple syrup from their-“</p><p>“I’ve heard enough,” Ella says, waving his explanation off and marking that particular item off the list.</p><p>Chloe grunts, amused, as she approaches, and Lucifer doesn’t seem pleased.</p><p>“Why ask if you don’t want the answer?” he says, frustrated.</p><p>“No food items,” Ella replies.</p><p>“Well, it doesn’t have to be maple syrup. You people have made quite a few strides in breakfast confectionaries.”</p><p>“No. Food,” Ella responds, punctuating her words for efficacy.</p><p>Lucifer scoffs and turns to Chloe. Chloe nods in agreeance and shrugs.</p><p>“She’s right,” Chloe says.</p><p>“Well, what about whipped cream? Strawberries? Chocolate syrup? Surely these things are all apart of a normal sex act catalog.”</p><p>“Not unless you want a yeast infection,” Ella says.</p><p>“Two for two,” Chloe says, impressed.</p><p>“You know, I actually kind of like this side of Ella,” she continues.</p><p>“Reasonable,” Chloe says, turning to Lucifer who looks dismayed that all his favorite things are being stricken from the list.</p><p>He’s already had to give up so much.</p><p>“You know, despite this cross on my neck, I’m actually very open when it comes to sexual health. Comprehensive sex education is important to a healthy sexual and mental well being,” Ella says nodding.</p><p>Ella turns back to the list.</p><p>“That being said … these are … Gah, you’ve done all of these?” Ella says.</p><p>“Yes, multiple times and with great success. That’s only half the list. Maze has the other half,” Lucifer says.</p><p>“She can keep it, “Chloe says.</p><p>Ella flips the page to the last page, reads it over, and decides marking it isn’t helpful. She completely rips the last page off and then hands the final three pages to Lucifer.</p><p>He looks at them, displeased.</p><p>“Truly?” he asks, annoyed at how light the list is.</p><p>“Guaranteed my guy,” Ella says, winking.</p><p>Chloe narrows her eyes, “I am standing <em>right</em> here,” she says.</p><p>He inhales a resigned sigh then turns to Chloe and hands her the paper. She looks at it briefly before taking the paper and beginning to read.</p><p>They watch her, Lucifer more so than Ella. Ella checks her watch and turns to the machine behind her to set the test tube inside of it.</p><p>The more Chloe reads, the more a blush comes over her face. Lucifer stands straight, his back strong and prideful as he is pleased with her reaction.</p><p>She clears her throat as she reads and brings a hand up to her neck.</p><p>He smiles to himself, knowing exactly what that means. She is imagining it. She is imagining it, and she likes all of them.</p><p>“Fine,” Chloe says nodding and clearing her throat again.</p><p>She hands the list to him before crossing her arms and turning to leave the lab.</p><p>“Fine?” he says shocked.</p><p>“Fine?” he says again turning to Ella, who is now turned back to them and slipping gloves off her hands.</p><p>Ella raises her hand ungloved hand for a high five, and he just looks at her.</p><p>“Come on, dawg, don’t leave me hanging. I just helped you out.”</p><p>He nods and leans forward to high five her.</p><p>“Boom!” she says, as she high fives him and backs away from the table, her body doing a strange serpent-like roll.</p><p>“Man, I’m so happy for you two. It’s about time,” she says, a pep in her step.</p><p>It was like living vicariously.</p><p>“Yes, well, I hope you are aware that the second I leave this lab, any conversation about the detective and I’s sexual endeavors will cease to be.”</p><p>“That’s fine I don’t need a play by play,” Ella says.</p><p>“So … if you have any <em>questions</em>,” he says, his eyes flipping to the torn-off sheet of paper in Ella’s hand, “now might be the time to ask.”</p><p>“Oh,” she says, “Oh yeah. Right.”</p><p>She grabs the page and turns it over before reading. She takes a moment, then turns her eyes to Lucifer and narrows them.</p><p>“What’s a “Guess who’s Birthday?” she asks.</p><p>He grins widely.</p><p>-----------</p><p>Abel enters Saint Catherine’s Church, the tattered bible still in his hand. The pages are more curved now, as if he had spent the past few days reading every page.</p><p>His white t-shirt has become more of an off-white, and it has several unidentifiable stains on it. His jeans stained and stiff from not being washed. He looks around, his eyes narrowing. He had been to seventeen other churches, of all different denominations, to try and help them, but they all had kicked him out.</p><p>He had learned that when it came to God and his tasks, though, there was no such thing as giving up. The last thing he wanted to do was piss any celestial off, especially not the creator of the whole damn universe.</p><p>“You look like you could use a hand,” a voice says.</p><p>He turns to see a priest smiling back at him with soft eyes. Abel nods and closes the distance between them.</p><p>“I want to become a priest,” he says.</p><p>The priest smiles and nods, “The calling is not for the light of heart,” he says, his eyebrows furrowing, “what makes you think this is for you?”</p><p>Abel holds up the bible, “I have a sign from God. This is what I must do,” he says.</p><p>The priest nods.</p><p>“I want to help people get into the Silver City, to not end up in Hell. I’ve been there, it is not … I don’t want <em>anyone</em> else to go there if they can help it,” he says.</p><p>The priest narrows his eyes and looks at him for a moment.</p><p>“What is your name?” he asks.</p><p>Abel sighs.</p><p>
  <em>Here we go. </em>
</p><p>This is the part where he gets kicked out.</p><p>“Abel,” he says, his shoulders dropping in defeat.</p><p>The priest stares at him for a moment, his eyes moving over his body.</p><p>“Abel,” he repeats, as if saying that name on his tongue to taste it.</p><p>“And before you ask, yes, my mother is Eve, and my Father is Adam,” he says.</p><p>The priest chuckles at the joke, but Abel isn’t laughing. The priest clears his throat when he realizes this isn’t a joke.</p><p>“God brought me back, but he never told me what it was I needed to do,” Abel says, again holding up the bible, “I think this is a sign.”</p><p>The priest looks at the bible then back at Abel.</p><p>“Where did you say you were from again?” the priest asks.</p><p>Abel sighs, “Are you going to make me a priest or not? I have other churches I must go to if you won’t,” he says.</p><p>The priest nods and stares at Abel for a moment before an idea comes to his head.</p><p>“Are you familiar with Lucifer’s Brother?” he asks, trying to figure out if this is the real deal.</p><p>Abel narrows his eyes even more, “Who are you? Are you an angel?”</p><p>The priest laughs and shakes his head, “No. Just a human. A human with knowledge of the divine.”</p><p>Abel looks at him, uncertain. The priest holds his hands out</p><p>“Father Kyle,” he says.</p><p>Abel looks at Father Kyle’s hand before reaching out and shaking it.</p><p>“Are you going to answer my question? About Lucifer’s brother?”</p><p>“Which one?” Abel asks.</p><p>The priest nods, “Ah, right. Uhm. The - and I hate to say this, but … the black one?”</p><p>Abel relaxes his shoulders, sure he won't get kicked out this time.</p><p>“He has many brothers and sisters who appear to be from many different ethnic backgrounds. Makes sense once you think about it. Can’t exactly have an angel visit Earth and blend in if they are pale as a ghost in the middle of the congo. Or the Amazon for that matter.”</p><p>Father Kyle nods to himself, he supposes that made sense.</p><p>“But I’m going to assume you are talking about Amenadiel,” Abel says.</p><p>The moment Abel says that name, the Priest cuts his eyes to Abel and stares.</p><p>“Since he’s the only brother that cares to spend his time here on earth, let alone with Lucifer,” Abel continues.</p><p>Father Kyle just stares at him, and Abel stares in return.</p><p>Abel stares because he is trying to figure out what the priest might say next. What hoop he might have to jump through to prove he is real.</p><p>Father Kyle stares because well … it’s Abel. <em>The</em> Abel.</p><p>Abel raises his eyebrows as if pointing out they have been standing there for far too long.</p><p>Father Kyle nods.</p><p>“Come,” he says, turning and ushering Abel to the back of the church, towards his office, “We have much to discuss.”</p><p>Abel lets go a sigh, “Finally,” he says as he follows the priest.</p><p>-------</p><p>It's late, and Natalie Edwards sits at her couch wearing a thin tank top and tight, teal shorts. Her legs are folded beneath her, and her laptop is perched on her lap. One arm is crossed across her body while the other holds onto a beer. She brings it up to her mouth and takes a sip.</p><p><em>“Every particle of sand in the lagoon was once part of the animals and plants that make up the reef,”</em> a smooth British voice says, playing from the speakers on her laptop.</p><p>There is a knock on the door, and she turns to it, the voice still playing in her ear. She turns to the laptop and pauses the video before leaning forward and setting the laptop on the coffee table.</p><p>She stands up and approaches the door, beer in hand. She peeks through the hole to find Maze staring back at her. She pauses for a second.</p><p>“You going to let me in?” Maze says from outside.</p><p>Natalie sighs and unlatches the door before opening it wide for Maze.</p><p>“Ms. Smith,” she says, greeting her.</p><p>On the back of that greeting is a question, namely a <em>“what are you doing here?”</em></p><p>Maze walks in a file in her hand and immediately grabs the beer out of Natalie’s hand with her free hand. She raises it to her mouth before taking a big gulp, one that finishes the beer. Natalie furrows her eyebrows.</p><p>“Uhm, <em>excuse</em> me,” she says, annoyed.</p><p>“Problem solved,” Maze says, turning to set the now empty beer bottle on the counter, “You won’t be bothered about the kinky shit you do on the side.”</p><p>Natalie’s annoyance falls.</p><p>“What?” she asks.</p><p>Maze nods, “All it took was to make a few choice people see things <em>my </em>way,” she says, “everybody human has stuff they don’t want others to know. For example, did you know that your Deputy likes to snort cocaine off of nude-“</p><p>Natalie holds her hands up, stopping Maze’s explanation.</p><p>“What part of, <em>‘I don’t want to know,’</em> did you not understand?”</p><p>Maze chuckles.</p><p>“Men. I was going to say, men.”</p><p>Natalie grimaces. She did <em>not</em> need that mental picture.</p><p>“<em>Relax</em>,” Maze says, turning to walk towards Natalie’s couch, “You have your job. You get to stay on as Lieutenant, and no one is going to talk shit about what you do on the side. I say it’s a win, win.”</p><p>Natalie shakes her head, “Well, you don’t have to worry about me. I’m done with that. No more double life. It’s a headache to maintain.”</p><p>Maze sits on Natalie’s couch and plops the file on the coffee table. She leans before she puts her feet up, so the sole of her boots rests next to the file.</p><p>Natalie narrows her eyes and tries to compose herself.</p><p>She clears her throat and walks towards the back of the couch.</p><p>“Ms. Smith I … truly<em>, truly</em> do appreciate your assistance and- and I owe you my Gratitude,” Natalie says.</p><p>“<em>But</em>?” Maze says, turning to her, knowing a “but” is coming.</p><p>“<em>But </em>…,” Natalie says, approaching the couch, “I would appreciate it if you take your shoes off my coffee table.”</p><p>Maze turns to look at her shoes.</p><p>She shrugs and sets her feet down on the floor.</p><p>Natalie’s eyes roam to the file and nods towards it.</p><p>“What’s that?” she asks.</p><p>Maze nods towards the file, “Your juvenile record,” she says before turning to face Natalie, her knee hitched up on the seat.</p><p>“You were a little firecracker in your early days, weren’t you?” she asks, delighted.</p><p>Natalie walks around the couch and leans down to snatch the file from Maze’s hands.</p><p>She flips the file open and begins to read over it.</p><p>It was all there. Everything she had done as a juvenile before she became a beat cop.</p><p>The fights, the skipping school, the drugs – despite <em>still </em>not thinking marijuana is a drug.</p><p>Or … at least one of the bad ones. She never had to break up crazy weed fights as a beat cop, that’s for sure.</p><p>Everything was here, including the marks against her name and record.</p><p>Everything she had done before she realized that the system wasn’t made to help the innocent, but hide the guilty. Before she had realized she could do more by working within the system, by changing it from the inside out and rebuilding it.</p><p>“Wha … how… this is all private information,” she says, “these records should be sealed.”</p><p>Maze leans forward.</p><p>“You were so angry. Man, I bet the sex was wild,” Maze asks.</p><p>“Where did you get this?” Natalie asks.</p><p>“Oh,<em> now</em> you want to know?” Maze says, scoffing, “Make up your mind!”</p><p>Natalie shakes her head as she looks at her file. She was the perfect witch to be burned at the stake. She furrows her eyebrows and turns her eyes to Maze.</p><p>“You shouldn’t have this,” Natalie says, turning and walking into her bedroom.</p><p>Maze chuckles and sits back, “Relax. We all have our histories,” she says, “though I would have never guessed <em>you </em>to have three marks against your record. How did you even become a cop?”</p><p>Natalie comes out of her bedroom, sans file, “Because I’m not that person anymore,” she says.</p><p>Maze narrows her eyes and tilts her head, “What kind of person are you?” she asks.</p><p>Natalie shakes her head and waves towards the door.</p><p>“I think we are done here,” she says.</p><p>“What are you watching?” Maze asks, nodding towards the laptop.</p><p>Natalie sighs.</p><p>“I … Ms. Smith, it’s late, and I’m sure you have other things to do,”</p><p>“I don’t,” she says, scoffing.</p><p>She couldn’t help Lucifer if he didn’t want it. Still, it felt weird.</p><p>The idea of not being able to assist the Devil was …<em> felt</em>, wrong.</p><p>She had been relinquished from her role long ago, but up until this point, she still did it. She was faithful to him, <em>always</em>.</p><p>He clearly didn’t need or want her assistance anymore and that … that felt …</p><p>Maze’s eyes drift towards the laptop, “Is that the Great Barrier Reef?”</p><p>Natalie pauses.</p><p>“Yes, actually it is,” she says astonished that Maze knows what that is.</p><p>She didn’t seem like the cerebral type at all.</p><p>“It’s a documentary about how aquatic life in the reef is being threatened by human activity,” Natalie says.</p><p>Maze shakes her head, “It’s a shame what you mortals do to your own home.”</p><p>Natalie squints her eyes, “Yes … us<em> humans</em>.”</p><p>Maze turns to her, catching her tone of voice.</p><p>Natalie clears her throat, “I know. It’s boring and you - you probably have other<em> exciting</em> non-human things to do so…” she says, moving towards the door.</p><p>Maze shakes her head and turns back to the laptop before reaching down and starting to untie her shoes.</p><p>“Trust me, I don’t. Let’s watch it,” she says.</p><p>“I … I don’t think that would be appropriate, Ms. Smith.”</p><p>Maze chuckles, “We had sex. I think at this point, watching a documentary is the tamest thing we could do. Unless … you’re trying to say you want to have sex again?”</p><p>Natalie inhales sharply.</p><p>“What? No! Oh, <em>God,</em> no,” she says, shaking her head.</p><p>Maze pauses the untying of her shoes and turns to Natalie.</p><p>She squints her eyes, offense coated on her forehead. Natalie catches the look in her eyes.</p><p>“Not that you were … it was … I had … ,” she grunts, her neck starting to turn red from embarrassment.</p><p>She turns to the open door and decides its best this conversation happen behind closed doors. She moves to the front door and shuts it, giving her time to compose herself before briefly pausing to gather her thoughts.</p><p>“Ms. Smith, I-“ she says, turning to see Maze walking back to the shoe rack by the door with her shoes.</p><p>Maze sets them down haphazardly and begins to walk back to the couch.</p><p>“About our … brief night of intimacy,” she says, leaning down to straighten Maze’s shoes.</p><p>“There was nothing <em>brief </em>about it,” Maze says, chuckling.</p><p>“Right, what I meant was this<em> thing</em> … between you and me? It’s not a thing, okay? It was purely physical, and that’s it. It was a mistake, and It will <em>not</em> happen again,” she says, approaching the couch.</p><p>Maze turns to her and nods, “Yes, and I told you I agreed. Why are you making a big deal about this?”</p><p>“Wha- <em>Me</em>? I’m not the one showing up to people’s apartments at ten o’clock at night. I just want to be <em>very </em>clear about the lines that we draw.”</p><p>“Great, <em>I get it</em>. We aren’t in a relationship. It was meaningless sex. Cool. Can we watch the documentary about the reefs now?”</p><p>Natalie sighs, “Ms. Smith…,” she says exhausted from this conversation already.</p><p>Maze snaps and stands up.</p><p>“You know, you humans always want to talk about feelings and shit,” she says, frustrated.</p><p>Natalie pauses, shocked at Maze’s outburst.</p><p>“Maybe I am bored. Maybe I don’t have anything to do, or maybe, just <em>maybe</em> I did you a favor, and now I just want to relax. Okay? Ever thought about that?” she asks.</p><p>Natalie just stands there, unsure of what to say.</p><p>“Maybe, I just … I want to watch the thing about the coral reefs, and zone out and not think. That’s it. I don’t want to talk about sex or <em>whatever </em>it is you are going on about. I don’t want to<em> talk</em>. I just … <em>I don’t</em>, okay?”</p><p>“Okay,” Natalie says, her eyebrows furrowed in an understanding that there is something more going on.</p><p>Often, Natalie was slow to pick up the feelings of others. It had been one of Liz, and her’s reoccurring fights. But this, this avoidance, she understands.</p><p>Maze plops down on the couch, and Natalie just stands there, looking around as if she had no idea what to do now.</p><p>Natalie clears her throat and slowly walks around the couch towards her seat.</p><p>“No Offense, Ms. Smith, but you don’t exactly seem like the documentary type,” she says.</p><p>Maze scoffs, “You don’t know me. I’m<em> very</em> worldly.”</p><p>“Mmmm,” she says, unsure how to follow that.</p><p>She moves to sit in her seat before reaching out to grab the laptop.</p><p>“We’re just watching, okay?” she asks, needing to clarify the terms of their agreement once more.</p><p>“Cool. Great,” Maze says, annoyed, mostly at herself.</p><p>She pulls her knees up to her chest as she scoots closer to Natalie and the laptop</p><p>“But just so we’re clear, you can’t just <em>show</em> up to my apartment whenever you’re bored,” Natalie says, setting the laptop on her lap.</p><p>“Why not? Would you rather be alone?” Maze says.</p><p>Natalie opens her mouth to say something then pauses.</p><p>She guesses not. Liz certainly isn’t alone.</p><p>“You have any more beer?” Maze asks.</p><p>Natalie looks at her for a moment before sighing and setting the laptop back down on the coffee table. She stands up and walks over to her fridge, pops open the door, and takes out two bottles of beer.</p><p>She then walks back to the coffee table and hands Maze a bottle.</p><p>“The opener is on the coffee table,” she says, pointing to the bottle opener sitting next to the laptop.</p><p>She sits down and gets herself comfortable.</p><p>Maze brings the bottle up to her mouth and bites down before popping the cap off with her teeth. She tosses the cap onto the table and takes a sip before turning to see Natalie staring at her with furrowed eyebrows.</p><p>She swallows the gulp, “What?”</p><p>“Did you just pop that off with your teeth?” Natalie asks.</p><p>Natalie looks down at the bottle and tilts her head.</p><p>Maybe she had gotten twists caps?</p><p>Tentatively, she brings the bottle up to her mouth, and Maze slowly turns her head to Natalie. Natalie bites down on the cap and attempts to move it only to find it won't budge.</p><p>Maze grunts, amused, a small smile coming to her face.</p><p>“How did you-“ Natalie says, taking her mouth off the bottle and bringing a hand up to her teeth.</p><p>Maze leans forward, grabbing the bottle opener and popping Natalie’s cap off with it. Maze then takes the cap and bottle opener and sets it on the coffee table. Maze sits back to find Natalie still staring at her, a curiosity in her mind that she clearly doesn’t have the words to express yet.</p><p>“Hit it,” Maze says, nodding to the laptop as she raises the bottle to take another sip.</p><p>Natalie leans forward and grabs the laptop before sitting back and setting it on her lap. Maze scoots in closer. Natalie tenses, visibly uncomfortable by how close Maze is sitting to her. She inhales, her body tensing further before pressing play.</p><p>The screen comes to life with a gradient of blue and green offset only by the moving incandescence of bright fish and neon jellyfish. They sit in silence, watching, and drinking.</p><p><em>“… they bite off pieces of coral, crush it to powder, and leave clouds of new sand in their wake,”</em> the British voice says.</p><p>Maze takes a sip and sets her bottle down in her lap. She stares at the screen, it being a welcome distraction from the turmoil going on in her head.</p><p>Lucifer’s affliction, his tendency to see emotion and feel emotion, was rubbing off on her and she didn’t know what to make of it.</p><p>She had chastised Lucifer for getting involved with a human. For his constant obsession with Chloe and saving her. Now she couldn’t imagine it any other way.</p><p>She couldn’t imagine life without her friends. Without Trixie, or Linda, or Chloe, or Ella. Without this little tribe she had come to hold in high esteem. Without this little … family.</p><p>It made her feel weak.</p><p>The weak never survived in hell.</p><p>So many of her brothers and sisters never survived in hell.</p><p> </p><p><em>So many of them never survived</em>, she thinks, a strange pain curling in her chest.</p><p>She drowns it in a swig of beer.</p><p>She scoffs at herself. Perhaps it was only fitting she thought about them because she was certainly behaving like a child by not wanting to be alone as she dealt with this new feeling.</p><p>The anxiety in her body about Lucifer, worrying about what would happen to him.</p><p>Yes, if she had to admit it, she was also angry, but it was a stupid kind of anger.</p><p>She was angry at Ella for not telling her she was going to Utah, and she <em>knew</em> it was stupid. Maze herself often disappeared for days on end with little to no contact, and when she came back, Ella had always been happy to see her. And Chloe and Trixie.</p><p>So why wasn’t she happy to see Ella? It wasn’t her job to protect Ella, or keep track of her. No, Ella didn’t belong to her, nor did Chloe or Trixie for that matter.</p><p>She sighs, neither did Lucifer.</p><p>Natalie catches the sigh, and her eyes move to Maze temporarily. Maze is looking at the screen, but Natalie can tell she is looking past it. Natalie turns her eyes back to the laptop, and they continue to watch in silence.</p><p>Maze still stares, her mind wandering and churning out thoughts that try to make sense of that odd feeling.</p><p>
  <em>Feeling.</em>
</p><p>The one that brought her to Natalie’s apartment. The one place, or person, that wouldn’t ask her a stupid question about stupid things like feelings.</p><p>Stupid, <em>frivolous</em> things.</p><p>She scoffs.</p><p>Humans.</p><p>Her disdain falls back into sadness.</p><p>Lucifer was becoming human.</p><p>Her life had been to serve him and protect him. She no longer served him, at least not like before, and now it felt like she couldn’t protect him either.</p><p>What did <em>that</em> mean?</p><p>What did that mean for Lucifer? For her?</p><p>What happens to <em>her</em> when Lucifer is gone?</p><p>When she had struggled with being free from her oath, she had found a new line of work, with new friends and acquaintances. Humans she had grown to truly admire, or at least tolerate.</p><p>And now he could die. At any moment, Lucifer could just … <em>cease</em> to be.</p><p>All of that rage, and fire, and power just … <em>disappearing</em> into nothingness?</p><p>Mortality.</p><p>“How could anyone kill something so beautiful?” Maze says sadly, her eyes focused on the life moving on screen.</p><p>Natalie takes a sip of her beer and sighs, “It’s what we do.”</p><p>
  <strong>--</strong>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Inside his office, Father Kyle sits at his desk, quietly reading the printout that Amenadiel gave him. He chews on a granola bar before turning the page over and reading. On his desk lays other print outs, each spread out like pieces of a puzzle he is working on.</p><p>“Mm,” he says to himself, as if understanding.</p><p>He bites into the granola bar again before he hears a knock on the door.</p><p>He clears his throat, moving the granola aside with his tongue, “Come in,” he manages to say before chewing again. Amenadiel pokes his head in, and Father Kyle smiles.</p><p>“Ah, Amenadiel. Come, come,” he says, waving him in.</p><p>“I wanted to see if you were able to make any headway?” Amenadiel asks.</p><p>Father Kyle nods and sets the granola bar down before slapping his hands together, getting rid of the crumbs.</p><p>“Yes, right. I’ve been reading over these passages all weekend, and they are just … the tale it weaves is truly remarkable.”</p><p>“Oh?” Amenadiel says, coming to sit in the chair in front of Father Kyle’s desk.</p><p>Father Kyle nods.</p><p>“It gives a new glimpse into the angel we call the devil, perhaps even the nature of man,”</p><p>Amenadiel nods, “Okay, so how do we fix it?”</p><p>Father Kyle stands and approaches a bookcase behind him.</p><p>“The bible is all about duality. Man and Woman. Light and Dark. Good and evil.”</p><p>“Okay …,” Amenadiel says, wanting him to get to the point faster.</p><p>“Even in Noah’s Ark had two of every animal. Certainly, the story was probably more related to repopulation, but … the idea of duality is interlaced so much in the bible.”</p><p>Amenadiel shakes his head, “I know this already. What does it say about the final war?”</p><p>Father Kyle shakes his head, “Patience child,” he says before pausing.</p><p>Is he allowed to call an Angel child? He is a child of God, in the most literal sense. Amenadiel sees the Priest’s hesitation and smiles to himself.</p><p>“It’s fine, continue,” he says.</p><p>Father Kyle nods and heads back to his desk with the bible.</p><p>“The nature of man is … dual in all aspects. Man and woman. Even down to the world in which we live. Hot and cold. Night and Day. They are all both sides of the same coin. To experience one, you must experience the other. It’s no wonder then that multiple religions share the exact same basic moral codes. Some even go as far as to suggest that souls reincarnate to experience what they haven’t in the life before. To learn something so integral, that it requires several lifetimes to understand.”</p><p>“Okay,” Amenadiel says, his impatience coming through in his tone.</p><p>“Life and Death,” the priests says, thinking to himself.</p><p>“Okay, so it <em>does</em> say something about killing Lucifer? How do we stop that?”</p><p>The priest looks at him and furrows his eyebrows, “You don’t,” he says.</p><p>Amenadiel shakes his head.</p><p>The priest sets the bible on the table and frowns.</p><p>“Amenadiel, what is happening is God’s will. Your goal shouldn’t be to subvert it but to support it. Stopping <em>anything</em> would be -”</p><p>“I’m not here for a lesson in theology, I’m here for answers,” Amenadiel says.</p><p>“Patience is a virtue,” Father Kyle says, his eyebrows furrowed, “I shouldn’t have to tell <em>you</em> that.”</p><p>Amenadiel groans and shifts uncomfortably in his chair. He hates that Father Kyle is right, but the anxiety in his bones is growing.</p><p>“This book is not a blueprint to subvert God’s will, only a mere word in many words that describe his greatness. Why can’t you see that?” Father Kyle asks.</p><p>Ameandiel groans and stands, “I don’t think you understand what I-“</p><p>“I spoke to a very interesting young man earlier today,” Father Kyle interupts, “Perhaps you know of him? Abel?”</p><p>Ameandiel pauses, “You spoke to Abel?”</p><p>Father Kyle nods, “So it’s true. He is real?”</p><p>Amenadiel nods, “We have an <em>unpleasant</em> history with him. I would be careful-“</p><p>“He seems lost,” Father Kyle says, walking back to his desk, “He wants to become a man of the cloth.”</p><p>Ameandiel chuckles and crosses his arms, “Does he now?”</p><p>“He told me a fascinating story about being split across the universe. About God’s wish for him … or lack thereof.”</p><p>Ameandiel nods, “Mmm. My concern has more to do with Lucifer and not Abel. Unless, of course, Abel has been given a task to harm Lucifer again.”</p><p>“Why would God go through the trouble of bringing back one human for the sole purpose of harming your brother?” he asks.</p><p>Ameandiel chuckles, “You’ve read the bible, you know they have a tenuous relationship.”</p><p>Father Kyle nods and turns his gaze back to the papers on his desk.</p><p>Amenadiel follows his lead and looks at the papers as well.</p><p>“So, do they say anything? Anything about Lucifer’s death?”</p><p>Father Kyle turns to Ameandiel, and Amenadiel raises his hand.</p><p>“Spare me the interpretation, just tell me what it says.”</p><p>“Death implies finality only to those unlucky enough to believe it is the end,” Father Kyle says, turning back to his papers, “ to those who believe there is nothing on the other side.”</p><p>Amenadiel sighs.</p><p>“Lucifer may be the devil, yes,” he continues, “But he is also an Angel. Duality, Amenadiel. To an Angel, death should not be a fear of yours. Angels don’t experience death.”</p><p>Amenadiel shakes his head, “I assure you we do,” he says, his mind moving to Uriel, “and even if we didn’t, that doesn’t matter. Father made him human, and as a mortal he can – and has – experienced death.”</p><p>Father Kyle pauses.</p><p>“Has?”</p><p>Amenadiel nods, “Usually, when he is gravely injured, he heals in a relatively short time. Minutes, if not hours. This time … this time he was down for three days.”</p><p>“Like Lazareth,” the priest says grimly before turning his head back to the papers on the desk.</p><p>He moves to sit and fumbles through the pages.</p><p>“I’m terrified that he will die again, and maybe this time he won’t come back,” Amenadiel admits.</p><p>“Mmm,” Father Kyle hums, listening but not really.</p><p>“Father tells me there Is nothing I can do but … Lucifer always found a way.”</p><p>Amenadiel cuts his eyes to Father Kyle.</p><p>“I need you to help me find a way,” he says.</p><p>Father Kyle looks up at Amenadiel, and they sit in silence for a moment. Father Kyle tilts his head.</p><p>“You want me to go against God’s will?”</p><p>Amenadiel shakes his head, “No. I want you to translate that,” he says, pointing to the book, “ into something I can understand. I will do the rest.”</p><p>Father Kyle shakes his head and leans back, “I don’t think I can-“</p><p>“Father is omnipresent. He knows and sees everything. Nothing in the world that is against his will is allowed. I understand how that might seem contrary, given all the wrong in the world. That children should die of hunger, or good people should fall while evil should rise. But … he has a strange away about him. Of connecting the dots.”</p><p>Father Kyle nods in agreeance, “He has his way about him, true, but what you are requesting I do is go against his will. My job is not-“</p><p>“If he truly did not want you to help me. Would I even be here? If he truly did not want me to try, would we be having this conversation?” Amenadiel asks.</p><p>Father Kyle looks up at Amenadiel and pauses. He stares deeply as Amenadiel just looks at him, his eyes asking the question.</p><p>Father Kyle turns his eyes briefly to the bookcase next to him as if staring at something. He turns back to Amenadiel and takes a deep breath before exhaling. He thinks about it for a moment, as if replaying a multitude of experiences in his head.</p><p>“Fine,” he says, scooting back up to the chair, “but I’ll need more time. I’ve only managed to read and - even then barely understand - a small section of this entire book. And- and I don’t even know if I’m right. Without the other books pulled from that vault, It’s like flying in the dark. I have no context. Why this? Why was<em> this</em> book in<em> that</em> vault? I mea- from what I’ve read, it’s not saying much that is contrary to our belief. It -It doesn’t turn our understanding of God’s love on its head. So <em>why</em> this book?”</p><p>“So, you need the other books?” Amenadiel says.</p><p>Father Kyle nods, “If they are half as authentic as this, it might give me a greater picture. The forest for the trees, so to speak.”</p><p>Amenadiel nods and stands.</p><p>“Then I will get them,” he says.</p><p>“To be clear,” Father Kyle says as Amenadiel turns to leave. Amenadiel pauses and turns back around.</p><p>“I am not asking you to steal those pages for me. Only stating that without them, this is a fool’s errand. We are bound to get it wrong.”</p><p>Amenadiel nods, “And to be clear, I intend to take them. They do not belong to anyone, and if they did, I believe a son of God would be the rightful owner, yes?”</p><p>Father Kyle narrows his eyes. He seems unsure but nods and sighs, understanding there is nothing he could truly do to stop Amenadiel.</p><p>Amenadiel turns to leave as Father Kyle looks back down at the pages. He grabs his granola bar, takes a huge dissatisfied bite out of it, and goes back to reading.</p><p>“Are all Angels like this? So impatient in finding a solution, that you don’t even ask if there is a problem?”</p><p>Amenadiel looks at Father Kyle, unsure if he likes this line of questioning. He stares at him for a while before turning and leaving without saying a word.</p><p>Father Kyle sighs and pulls his glasses up to his face to continue reading.</p><p>-------</p><p>Chloe’s car pulls into a parking spot outside of the Rocketship, and she shifts the car into park.</p><p>“I’ll wait here,” Chloe says as she pulls out her phone.</p><p>“You most certainly will not,” Lucifer says, displeased.</p><p>She turns to him, confused, before turning back to her phone to text Dan.</p><p>“Lucifer, you can buy condoms by yourself. I need to text Dan to let him know I’m on my way home.”</p><p>“You are coming inside with me,” Lucifer says, “and we’re going to find you something you like.”</p><p>She groans and leans her head back against the seat, “Lucifer. It’s been a long day. I just want to go home, feed my kid, and relax. Okay?”</p><p>“Darling,” Lucifer says shifting in his seat to face her, “Being that you will be taking care of the douche and the spawn for the remainder of the week, I’ve gathered we won't have much time for sex.”</p><p>She just stares at him, the look in her eyes saying a lot. Most notably, that he’s a few words away from her being upset with him. For what exactly? Well, being childish and his insistence on calling Trixie by anything other than her name, for starters.</p><p>“You gathered that, did you?” she says, annoyed.</p><p>“If I’m to leave you to your own devices for a few days, at least allow me the pleasure of picking said device.”</p><p>“We don’t have time to browse,” she says.</p><p>“It won’t take long,” he counters.</p><p>“You can buy sex toys online, Lucifer.”</p><p>“Oh,” he says intrigued, “spoken like a true expert. Or should I say <em>sex</em>pert?”</p><p>“Knock it off,” she responds, shifting in her seat.</p><p>He leans himself over the center console, getting into her space. His voice is low and smooth.</p><p>“Come on, Detective. I want to know,” he says.</p><p>“Lucifer, leave it,” she says, her eyes getting shifty and uncomfortable.</p><p>“What are we talking? Vibrator? Dildo? Ooh, perhaps a buttplug?”</p><p>“A bu- what? Lucifer, I don’t know who or <em>what </em>you think I am into but-“</p><p>“Darling, I’ve done it all. There is no shame here. In fact, if you ask nicely, I’ll be the first to try it out, yeah? It’s been a while since I’ve been penetrated.”</p><p>She responds by just slamming her head into her hands.</p><p>“Darling,” he says, “we are alone, in private, as you require. Can we not have a conversation about what tools you like to employ while you are pleasuring yourself?”</p><p>She doesn’t respond; she just closes her eyes and shakes her head. When she opens her eyes, she immediately plants them on her phone and goes back to texting Dan. Lucifer’s eyes travel down her body, low and hungry. He sits back in his seat, watching her.</p><p>He hums to himself, the bass deep and enjoyable.</p><p>She slowly turns her head to him and sees him staring at her with that looks that immediately sends a signal to her gut. She can feel the tingle in her loins, the ones that mean her panties will soon be much damper than they should be.</p><p>“What? What are you doing?” she says.</p><p>“I’m imagining you pleasuring yourself,” he says.</p><p>“Lucifer, <em>please</em>,” she says flustered.</p><p>He adjusts himself, his pants starting to fit a little too tightly, and faces forward.</p><p>“Darling, you know I love it when you beg,” he says, his tone warm and seductive.</p><p>“I- buh,” she begins to stutter, that dark tone in his voice did <em>things</em> to her.</p><p>He chuckles warmly. If he isn’t going to get sex tonight, the least he can do is make her want him as much as he wants her.</p><p>“Very well,” he says, resigned, “I’ll go purchase a few boxes of condoms, pick out toys you might like, and I will return here. Might I change your mind about spending your night with the child?”</p><p>“You mean my daughter? My <em>legal</em> responsibility?” she says.</p><p>“Right,” he says, “Might I then make the request that I watch you at some point? My imagination can only hold me over for so long.”</p><p>“If I come in, will you shut up so we can get this over with?” she asks.</p><p>He smiles widely.</p><p>She shakes her head and pulls the key from the car.</p><p>“My offer still stands, you know,” he says.</p><p>“I’m staying at my place tonight,” she says, feeling him looking at her, but deciding its best she focus on getting out of the car.</p><p>“I mean, once we get inside,” he says, “If you find anything that catches your fancy, I will be more than happy to foot the bill.”</p><p>“Gee, thanks,” she says, narrowing her eyes.</p><p>He chuckles as she unhooks her seatbelt and pops open the door.</p><p>“Let’s go,” she says.</p><p>He reaches out and sets a hand on her arm. It is soft, yet firm. She turns to it then casts her eyes onto him.</p><p>“Chloe,” he says, a seriousness in his words as if she is hearing him, but she isn’t <em>hearing</em> him.</p><p>“I’d like for you to achieve as much pleasure as I can provide.”</p><p>She stares at him, uncertainty behind her eyes.</p><p>“I would <em>never</em> judge your desires,” he says.</p><p>She nods slowly, feeling the intensity of his stare and the truth behind his words.</p><p>“I know,” she says.</p><p>He lets go of her arm and nods, before reaching down and unbuckling his belt.</p><p>“Very well then,” he says as the seatbelt slides into its holder, “Let’s go talk to the sex man.”</p><p>The sensitivity in her eyes falls as she furrows her eyebrows.</p><p>“Don’t call him that. That’s weird,” she says, shaking her head.</p><p>They get out of the car and shut the door.</p><p>Chloe starts to walk towards the door.</p><p>He would never judge her desires, she knows that.</p><p>She … just doesn’t know what her <em>desires</em> are.</p><p>---------------------</p><p>The bell above the doorway dings, and Greg looks up from his comic book to see Lucifer and Chloe come in. He sighs and sits back in his chair as Lucifer piles in behind her.</p><p>“Please tell me you are just stopping by for more condoms,” he says.</p><p>Lucifer smiles, “I am certain that is a joke, but yes. I will need more condoms,” he says.</p><p>Greg laughs, “You bought a twelve-pack the other day, how can you be done already?”</p><p>Lucifer smiles, “The devil is a busy man.”</p><p>Chloe clears her throat, and Greg turns to her. He doesn’t say anything about the red on her cheeks.</p><p>“Ah, Detective Decker. This isn’t a professional visit, is it?”</p><p>Chloe crosses her arms and shakes her head, “No, I’m just driving him home,” she says nodding to Lucifer.</p><p>Greg nods and gets up and turns to the wall of condoms behind him.</p><p>“Did you find the asshole that killed Fred?” he says, grabbing the box of condoms and turning back to the front desk.</p><p>She shakes her head, “I’m not a liberty to speak about open cases,” she says.</p><p>He frowns and slides the box of condoms on to the counter.</p><p>“That’s a no then,” Greg says.</p><p>“I’d like to purchase all of them,” Lucifer says.</p><p>Greg stares at him for a second.</p><p>“all the condoms?” he asks.</p><p>Lucifer nods, “Yes. Well, of the appropriate size. I’ve already had a run-in with smaller condoms, and while they didn’t ruin the evening, they did make cleanup a little difficult.”</p><p>Chloe blushes and turns away.</p><p>Greg stares at him and nods.</p><p>“Oh, …uh, okay. Sure,” he says before turning and sliding all the boxes of the same size and brand, one by one, off their peg hooks. Lucifer reaches into his pocket and pulls out his money clips.</p><p>Chloe rolls her eyes and sighs. As she rolls them, her eyes land on a display case with a few random items, including a map of the stars. Her eyebrows furrow. A map of the stars in a sex shop? She looks around, taking a greater gander at all the stuff at the front register: gum, comic books, Chapstick. They are the kind of paraphernalia you would see in a gas station convenience store and not a sex shop.</p><p>“These seem out of place,” she says, moving over to the brochures and taking one.</p><p>Greg chuckles and nods.</p><p>“It’s called impulse buying. You provide people with small items they might need, and they tend to buy them. Like, somehow, buying a pack of gum offsets the eight-inch rubber penis.”</p><p>“Hmm,” Chloe says, looking at the pamphlet.</p><p>“Length is good,” Lucifer says, fumbling with his cash, “but it’s the girth they want.”</p><p>He hands over the money to Greg, and Greg shakes his head with a smile, “Based on the type of purchases women make, I’m going to have to disagree.”</p><p>“Well, I’m not eight inches, as you are well aware, but I haven’t had any complaints,” Lucifer says.</p><p>He turns and is about to say something to Chloe when he pauses. He remembers the conversation they had earlier, and she turns to him, seeing him physically pause his speech to keep what he wants from coming out. He smiles awkwardly and turns back to Greg.</p><p>“It’s how you use it, I suppose,” Lucifer says, smiling.</p><p>Chloe rolls her eyes and pulls out her phone to see if Dan texted her back. He hasn’t. She sets the phone back into her pocket, and her eyes wander back to the map of the stars.</p><p>Her mother used to be on that map at some point, she thinks to herself as she reaches out and grabs it. She wonders if her mother is still on the map.</p><p>“You don’t have to prove anything to me, “Greg says putting the condom boxes in a bag for Lucifer, “I think some of these fake cocks are too big anyway.”</p><p>Chloe looks over the map, ignoring this strange conversation that is happening beside her. She looks over the list and doesn’t see her mother’s house. She nods to herself.</p><p><em>That’s good, </em>she thinks<em>, the last thing mom needs is a bunch of fanboys showing up at her house. At least she won’t have to move again</em>.</p><p><em>Move again</em>, she thinks, that phrase ringing a bell. Why did that sound famil-</p><p>She pauses and tilts her head, her eyes narrowing as she thinks about the last time they were here. The last time Lucifer used his mojo on Greg. When they tried to get some information about a confession out of him.</p><p>Her eyes narrow.</p><p>Greg said he didn’t want to move <em>again</em>.</p><p>“You know,” Chloe says, looking up from the map and turning to Greg, “I couldn’t help but notice your accent. Maybe you and Lucifer are from the same place?”</p><p>Lucifer turns to her and laughs, “I highly doubt it,” he says.</p><p>She tosses him a look, and a brief flash of realization comes over his face.</p><p>“Oh, Yes. Yes, I suppose our accents are quite similar,” Lucifer says, turning back to Greg, “and I did spend a large portion of my time in the British isles.”</p><p>Greg nods and smiles, “I’m from a small town called Dipton. You ever heard of it? It’s just north of Lanchester.”</p><p>Lucifer nods, “Been there quite a bit, actually. Lovely place.”</p><p>Greg nods, a glint of nostalgia in his eyes.</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“What made you want to come to Los Angeles?” Chloe asks.</p><p>“Oh,” Greg says, slipping out of that nostalgia.</p><p>He shrugs.</p><p>“I don’t know. Thought it might be a good place to meet people. See the sights, you know... live a little. Plus, people tend to be a little more open-minded here. Hence,” he says, waving to the shop around him.</p><p>Lucifer nods and nudges Chloe, “See? Open-minded.”</p><p>She cuts him a glare and turns back to Greg.</p><p>“So an ex-pat,” she says, “you must miss home. How come you never went back?”</p><p>Greg laughs, “Are you sure Scotland yard didn’t send you?’ he laughs.</p><p>Chloe doesn’t laugh. His laugh falls out into a cough.</p><p>“I uh … I just like it here better. No offense against my hometown, but ... it was small and not as liberal. My mum still lives there, and she <em>just</em> got an internet connection a few years back.”</p><p>Lucifer groans.</p><p>“Could you imagine life without internet porn?” Lucifer asks.</p><p>Greg laughs, “That, I could not.”</p><p>“Mm,” Chloe says, “Fascinating.”</p><p>Except she’s not fascinated by the tone of her voice.</p><p>She turns and looks around the store a bit. She turns back to Greg.</p><p>“I think I just might take you up on that offer,” she says, turning to Lucifer.</p><p>Lucifer stands straight up, pleased.</p><p>“Really?” Lucifer says, his breath airy but thrilled.</p><p>Chloe turns and heads down one of the aisles.</p><p>Lucifer turns to Greg and smiles widely.</p><p>“Whatever she gets, I’ll pay for,” he says.</p><p>Greg nods, “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”</p><p>Chloe walks further down the aisle and looks back to make sure no one is following her. She turns as she pulls out her phone and dials a number.</p><p>--------------------</p><p>Inside her lab, Ella is packing up for the evening. She sets a few samples inside a cardboard box before tossing a lid on it and pulling it off her lab table. Here she picks up the small pieces of plastic wrap from swabs and needles and moves to the garbage to throw them away.</p><p>Her cell phone begins to vibrate in her pocket, and she pauses at the trash can. She reaches in and pulls the phone up to her ears.</p><p>“Yo,” she says, slapping the plastic off her hands.</p><p>It clings to her fingers with static.</p><p>“Hey, you still at the lab?” she hears Chloe say, her voice more hushed than usual.</p><p>It catches Ella’s attention, and she pauses.</p><p>“Yeah, what’s up?”</p><p>“I need you to look up a name for me,” she says.</p><p>Ella moves quickly back to her computer and shakes the mouse, waking the screen.</p><p>“Okay,” she says, “give it to me.”</p><p>“Look for any instance of a Gregory Charles from Dipton, England,” she says, “We didn’t pull anything up on the system about him, but he’s an ex-pat who came here before the records law, so his record only goes as far back as when he first came to the United States.”</p><p>“You know, I can get you real records, but it’s going to take a few days,” Ella says.</p><p>“Yeah, I don’t really have that kind of patience,” Chloe says.</p><p>“Google will do then,” Ella responds as she types the name into google.</p><p>Inside the Rocketship, Chloe stands with her phone to her ear and listening as Ella types and searches. She turns behind her to see Lucifer and Greg engaged in a conversation. She lets go a deep sigh and turns in front of her to be faced with rows of sexy lingerie.</p><p>She clears her throat and pulls her left arm around her body as she pretends to not eye them. She pretends, but her eyes wander and look at everything as if trying to get as much information before she turns away. They take in all the colors and lace and … <em>provocative</em> openings.</p><p>Her face blushes, and she tilts her head, trying to relieve the sudden tension in her neck by cracking it.</p><p>“Anything?” she asks Ella, trying to speed this along.</p><p>“Give me a second,” Ella says.</p><p>Chloe clears her throat and turns around to make sure Lucifer and Greg were still locked in conversation. They are.</p><p>She turns back to the lingerie, and her eyes fall on a specific pair. They are lacey and black and not at all revealing.</p><p>No special holes.</p><p>They don’t look like they belong in a sex shop. They look like something she would wear.</p><p>She furrows her eyebrows, and curiosity gets the better of her. Chloe reaches out and grabs the plastic wrapping. She eyes it for a second before turning it over, wondering why it feels so heavy.</p><p>That is until she is met with a small egg vibrator and the words “Vibrating Panties.”</p><p>“Ah!” Ella says.</p><p>Chloe jumps and turns her attention back to the phone.</p><p>“What?” she says.</p><p>“I couldn’t find anything on a Gregory Charles,” she says, “But I thought it was weird that the guy sounded like he had two first names so I did some searching and it turns out there is a Charles Gregory Mason that lived in Dipton, England in the Early 90s. He has a small rap sheet, but the crimes are …”</p><p>The lines goes silent.</p><p>“What?” Chloe says.</p><p>“This guy was <em>not</em> a nice guy,” she says.</p><p>Chloe shakes her head, “Does it have a picture of him? Can you text me a link?”</p><p>“Aggravated assault, burglary, and… wow,” she says.</p><p>“What?” Chloe asks.</p><p>“Two counts of sexual assault, one count of murder,” she says.</p><p>“Send me the link,” Chloe says, her voice serious.</p><p>“Okay, hold on,” Ella says.</p><p>“Find something you like?” Chloe hears a warm voice say into her ear.</p><p>She jumps and turns around to see Lucifer standing there, a wide grin on his face, and a curious eye cast down to the package in her hand.</p><p>“I, uh,” Chloe says as he reaches down and grabs the package.</p><p>Chloe turns and presses the mute button on her phone.</p><p>“Vibrating undies?” he says with a surprised chuckle.</p><p>“Oh, <em>Detective</em>,” he says pleased, “you <em>do</em> have an exhibitionist streak in you. Color me pleased, Darling.”</p><p>“I was just … it was right in my face, and I was just curious because-“ she says, her mouth spitting out excuses.</p><p>“No need to explain, Darling. This will be a good excuse for me to take you to dinner,” he says with a warm smile and a smooth voice that shouldn’t be making her wet, but it does.</p><p>“I’d love to see you try and keep quiet in a room full of strangers.”</p><p>“I was not- I didn’t know it came with a thing. It just looked so normal,” she says.</p><p>His smile falls, and he looks over her for a moment. He tilts his head.</p><p>“Would you like it?” he asks.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>He walks closer to her, the strong and warm scent of his cologne wafting into her nose.</p><p>“Do you want it?” he asks, in a low and soft tone, “would you like to try it?”</p><p>She opens her mouth to say something but nothing comes out. He just stares at her with a look that seems … <em>protective</em>. Like nothing she could say would change the way he was looking at her. Like he was willing to keep the secret.</p><p>She looks down at the underwear in his hands.</p><p>“I don’t know … I …”</p><p>She turns her eyes back to him, his gaze softer now, <em>loving</em>.</p><p>She shrugs, rubbing her arm and averting her eyes, “I mean … I guess we could try-,” she begins to say.</p><p>A smile comes to his face, and he leans in, his breath hot against her ear.</p><p>“I’ll get us a basket, yes?” he says.</p><p>He turns and walks to the front door where the shopping baskets are. She has to steady her breath, her cheeks flushing, and a tingling developing between her legs.</p><p>
  <em>Shit. </em>
</p><p>She can’t work with him like this.</p><p>It was bad enough when there was sexual tension when they hadn’t had sex. But now they have, there shouldn’t be this much tension. She shouldn’t be thinking about him like this all the time.</p><p>He was desire on legs, and she was finding it harder and harder to say no.</p><p>Her phone vibrates, and it jolts her mind back into work mode, completely forgetting she had Ella waiting. She presses the unmute button on her phone.</p><p>“Did you just send it to me?” she asks.</p><p>“Yeah. Listen, Chloe. If this guy Is the same guy, I think you should call for backup before you confront him,” she says as Chloe goes into her text messages and clicks the link.</p><p>“He was put on trial for the murder and sexual assault of an 11-year-old girl, but they didn’t have enough evidence to prove he did it, so he got away scot-free. Even after the town petitioned for a retrial, he was cleared of all charges.”</p><p>Chloe clicks the link and scrolls through what looks to be a newspaper clipping stored on a small town libraries’ website. It shows the story of what happened and a picture of a young girl next to a young man. He looked to be in his late 20’s but even so young, she can tell it’s him.</p><p>It’s Greg.</p><p>“Shit,” she says, nodding, “Okay.”</p><p>“Thanks, Ella,” she says, putting the phone up to her ears.</p><p>“I’m serious, Chloe,” Ella says, “I got a bad feeling about this one.”</p><p>“We still don’t know if he did anything, Ella. We can’t try him for a case that happened years ago,” Chloe says, “and I have Lucifer here. We’ll be fine.”</p><p>Ella grumbles. She doesn’t like it.</p><p>“I don’t know Chloe…,” Ella says.</p><p>“It will be fine. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”</p><p>Chloe clicks the line and goes back to the news story as Lucifer returns with a basket full of toys.</p><p>“I picked up a few vibrators for you,” he says, pulling the basket up and looking at his wares, “We haven’t properly explored your G-spot yet, so I thought we’d spend this weekend giving it a proper introduction.”</p><p>“Lucifer-“ she begins to say.</p><p>“And of course, a little something for me,” he says, reaching in to pull out a fleshlight. “You know, because the human body can only handle so much. I imagine you will need a break at some point.”</p><p>Chloe looks at him gravely before looking past him to Greg, who still sits at the front desk reading comics.</p><p>She turns to him, and his smile falls. He knows that look.</p><p>“He’s the murderer, isn’t he?” he says sadly as he tosses his fleshlight into the basket.</p><p>It’s like a kid just found out Santa Clause wasn’t real in the middle of waiting to sit on his lap in line at the mall.</p><p>Chloe hands him the phone with the article on it. He sets the basket down at his feet as he reads.</p><p>“We can’t charge him for a crime from twenty years ago,” she says, “but …if this is true, and he did do it, it means he has a history of murder.”</p><p>Lucifer furrows his eyebrows as he reads. A slow realization setting over his body as he puts the pieces together in his mind.</p><p>“This doesn’t mean anything either. He has a history but still no motive,” Chloe says, “I mean, he had the most to lose from Fred’s death. Why would he want to get rid of his only employee?”</p><p>Suddenly it dawns on Lucifer.</p><p>He was meant to see Fred. To hear Fred’s guilty conscience.</p><p>“Maybe it wasn’t about losing or gaining, but maintaining,” Lucifer says, turning to her.</p><p>Her eyebrows furrow for a moment before she starts to nod to herself, “He said he didn’t want to move again. Maybe something to do with Fred gave him the idea he might have to move?”</p><p>“Detective, I didn’t tell you this because it didn’t seem to be important at the time, but … I’ve seen our victim,” he says, looking up at her, a grave look on his face.</p><p>She looks at him as if he were speaking a different language.</p><p>“In my dreams, which I’m not quite sure are dreams anymore. I saw him. He was feeling guilty over the death of his son.”</p><p>She sighs and nods, “That must have been really hard for him,” she says.</p><p>Lucifer nods.</p><p>“He was adamant he had read the number correctly on the syringe,” he says.</p><p>Chloe nods then looks back at Gregory.</p><p>“Detective,” Lucifer says, drawing her attention back to him.</p><p>“What if he <em>did</em> give the right dose?” Lucifer asks.</p><p>Chloe looks at Lucifer, not following. Lucifer turns the phone to her, and she glances down at an image of the side by side photos of Greg and the young girl.</p><p>“What if it just wasn’t the boy’s <em>only </em>dose that night?” Lucifer continues.</p><p>The confusion in her face slowly falls when she realizes what he is saying.</p><p>Goosebumps roll up Chloe’s arm, the whole case exploding wide open in her brain.</p><p>“Oh <em>God,”</em> she says, loud enough to catch Greg’s attention from the front register.</p><p>Lucifer doesn’t even have the energy to correct her, it seems …<em>wrong</em> to at this particular junction in time.</p><p>She walks forward to Lucifer, lowering her voice.</p><p>“The neighbor said she heard them fighting. Heard Fred calling him perverted. Maybe Fred found out about his past, and Greg feared it would get out. The owner of a sex shop discovered with as a potential murderer and predator? That can’t be good for business.“ she says.</p><p>“Gregory would have had motive, opportunity and-“ Lucifer says</p><p>“<em>And </em>he would have known about Regina’s habit of using the window. He knew it would be open that night, and he could come back and get rid of any evidence,” Chloe interjects.</p><p>Chloe exhales a breath, this whole thing being way too much to discover while standing mere feet away from the culprit.</p><p>Her eyes move to Greg, who watches them from the corner of his eye, curious.</p><p>Lucifer shakes his head and looks down at the basket. He understands the items are not Greg’s, but nevertheless, he doesn’t like the idea that he’s been buying from Greg with what he now knows.</p><p>He sighs.</p><p>“I suppose we’ll end up doing online shopping after all,” he says.</p><p>Chloe turns back to Lucifer, suddenly not getting a good feeling about being there.</p><p>“Okay, we have to go,” she says.</p><p>“What, you aren’t going to arrest him?” Lucifer asks.</p><p>Chloe shakes her head, “I’m going to draw up the paperwork to get a search warrant for his house, but that is going to take a while. I also think we should have some backup.”</p><p>Lucifer scoffs as she walks past him, “What? Darling, we’ve handled far worst on our own before.”</p><p>She pauses and turns around.</p><p>“I’m not risking losing you again,” she says unhappily.</p><p>He pauses.</p><p>“Get the basket,” she says.</p><p>He shakes his head, “I don’t want to purchase anything more from him,” he says.</p><p>She nods, “I don’t want to make him suspicious, and you leaving without buying something seems off.”</p><p>He grunts and turns back around before snatching the basket up.</p><p>“Never thought I’d see the day where my appetite for sex leaves me dissatisfied,” he says to himself.</p><p>They walk towards the counter.</p><p>Greg notices the unhappy stride in Lucifer and how he drops the basket onto the counter with little enthusiasm.</p><p>‘Everything okay?” he asks, as he begins to take the items out of the basket.</p><p>“Fine,” Chloe says, “It’s just been a long day for both of us.”</p><p>Lucifer grunts and reaches into his pocket to pull out his money clip.</p><p>Greg rings up the items in silence, an odd look on his face. He takes momentary glances at Chloe and Lucifer as he rings them up and puts each object into a large plastic bag. Lucifer stares at him, a disgusted look on his face.</p><p>“That’ll be $328.88,” Gregory says.</p><p>Chloe’s slight discomfort briefly fades into shock.</p><p>“Three hundred dollars!” she says.</p><p>Lucifer turns to her.</p><p>“You can’t put a price on pleasure, Detective,” he says, before pausing.</p><p>“Though, that does little to explain the oldest profession in book,” he says as an aside to himself.</p><p>Chloe rolls her eyes.</p><p>“Just pay for the things already,” she says.</p><p>Lucifer smiles at Chloe’s annoyance before handing Greg his black card.</p><p>Greg smiles back, and Lucifer’s smile fades as he remembers why he didn’t like Greg to begin with. Greg slides the card in the card reader.</p><p>They sit in awkward silence as the printer prints out the receipt.</p><p>Greg nods and sets the card on top of the receipt before handing it back to Lucifer.</p><p>“I really do hope you find whoever did this to Fred,” he says, “He was my best friend.”</p><p>Lucifer scoffs as he grabs the card and the bag and turns to leave.</p><p>“Judas,” he says.</p><p>Greg furrows his eyebrows. Chloe sees it and smiles nervously.</p><p>“Lovers quarrel,” she says, rolling her eyes playfully, “He’ll be fine.”</p><p>Greg nods to her, not convinced, and watches as she walks away.</p><p>-----------------------------</p><p>Outside, Lucifer approaches the car.</p><p>“Lucifer!” she whisper-yells at him, “What happened to being discreet?” she says.</p><p>He scoffs, “I’m not a liar, love,” he says as she reaches into her pocket and pulls out the key fob.</p><p>She pops the trunk, and he tosses the bag of toys into it before slamming it shut.</p><p>“Yes, well-“ she begins as the bell above the door dings, and she turns to see Greg stepping out.</p><p>She tilts her head and looks at him as he closes up the shop. He turns to see them staring at him, an inquisitive look behind their eyes.</p><p>“Store’s empty, thought I’d pop out to get a late dinner,” he says.</p><p>Chloe nods, and Greg walks down the side of the building before crossing over to the parking spot where his car sits.</p><p>Chloe eyes Lucifer, and they both get into her car and shut the door.</p><p>Chloe reaches into her pocket and opens her phone to check the time.</p><p>“We’ll head back to the precinct, and I’ll put in the paperwork for the search warrant. It will take a while to get processed, but the sooner I do it, the sooner we can process it.”</p><p>Lucifer grumbles as he reaches over to pull the seatbelt across himself. His eyes move up to Greg’s car across the parking lot. Greg is leaned over into the passenger's side seat and is fiddling with something.</p><p>Lucifer’s eyebrows furrows, his radar going off that something is wrong.</p><p>“I have to text Dan to tell him I’ll be running late. If we can get that search warrant put in maybe early tomorrow we can-“ she says.</p><p>“Detective,” he interrupts.</p><p>She looks up at him, then at what he is looking at.</p><p>“I have an odd feeling about-“</p><p>Right as he says that, Greg stands up from his car with a pistol in his hand.</p><p>“Shit!” Chloe says as she unlatches her car door.</p><p>Gregory pulls his gun up and shoots three bullets at the car. One hits the window, the other hits the door as Chloe closes the driver side door and leans against it.</p><p>She reaches for her gun.</p><p>The third one hits Lucifer.</p><p>“Lucifer get down!” Chloe screams as she stands up and fires back.</p><p>Greg runs and slams himself up against the side of the building.</p><p>“Lucifer!” Chloe says, leaning to look into the car, and instruct him to move.</p><p>She pauses when she sees him holding onto his neck, blood pouring out of it.</p><p>Her eyes widen.</p><p>“Lucifer!” she says, opening the door and pulling him, so he lays flat across her driver’s seat. It’s uncomfortable, his back arched across the center console.</p><p>But he doesn’t say anything, he’s too busy feeling panic in his bones.</p><p>He is dying again. He can feel it.</p><p>Greg turns the corner and shoots two bullets at the car again.</p><p>Chloe ducks before reaching for her radio. She pulls it up to her mouth.</p><p>“Need backup!” she screams, “Shots fired! This is Decker, LAPD unit 435, Requesting backup.”</p><p>She looks over the car and sees Greg’s arm peeking out slightly from the building. He is still holding a gun. She can see the kind of weapon.</p><p>How many bullets did he shoot, she thinks.</p><p>She counts in her head. Five. He’s shot five, which means ...</p><p>“Greg!” She says, “You only have one bullet left. This isn’t going to end well for you. Just put the gun down. Okay?”</p><p>“What was I supposed to do?” he yells back, “I had a good life here, and … and Fred was supposed to be my friend!”</p><p>“You’ve already injured one officer, Greg. How much more damage do you want to do to this situation?” she says, her gun aimed at him over the hood of her car.</p><p>If she gets a shot on him, she is going to take it. She <em>wants</em> to take it.</p><p>“I kept all his secrets, and I never judged him once for them,” he screams, the hurt in his voice, “but I tell him one thing and he freaks out on me.”</p><p>“Did you do to Johnathon what you did to that little girl?” she asks.</p><p>She doesn’t get a response from him.</p><p>Slowly she moves away from the car and slides herself against the side of the building.</p><p>“You don’t get it,” he says, his voice panicked.</p><p>“What is there to understand?” she asks, slowly approaching the corner.</p><p>He doesn’t respond.</p><p>“Greg, what is there to-“ she begins.</p><p>A gunshot goes off, and she jumps. She pauses for a second before slowly approaching the corner and turning.</p><p>She is not at all surprised to see Greg’s body slumped over, the gun slowly sliding out of his hand, and the outside wall of the shop painted in blood.</p><p>She turns her head away, her eyes tight.</p><p>When she opens them, they fall on her car, the driver’s side door wide open.</p><p>“Lucifer,” she says heavily, realizing he is in there.</p><p>She runs to the car, putting her gun away.</p><p>It is then she starts to hear sirens in the distance.</p><p>She approaches the passenger side and is met with a still Lucifer, laying inside the car.</p><p>She gasps, tears starting to come to her eyes.</p><p>“Lucifer?” she asks, her voice weak.</p><p>She runs to the other side of the car and kneels at his head. The seat is full of blood, and his face is pale white. His eyes are open but dead.</p><p>She whimpers and stares, her hand reaching out to him carefully.</p><p>“Lucifer?” she says again, but light, her tears making her voice high pitched.</p><p>She says his name as if it isn’t true. Like he would pop up and repeat something about penetration. But he doesn’t, he stays still.</p><p>She touches him lightly, her hand running lightly down the side of his arm. She holds onto him, his body still warm, and shakes him. She shakes him as if he were just sleeping. Sleeping with his eyes wide open.</p><p>Tears well in her eyes, making it hard for her to see.</p><p>“Lucifer?” she says again, the word almost getting held up in her throat as she tries to hold back her tears.</p><p>As she tries to make the moment as quiet as possible, hoping to make out the faint sound of his heart beating. Hoping to notice any movement other than stillness.</p><p>She sees a shadow come across the other side of the car, and she clears her eyes before looking up. She doesn’t see anything, but she gets the distinct feeling she isn’t alone.</p><p>She reaches for her gun again.</p><p>“LAPD,” she says, one hand on her gun, the other wiping away tears.</p><p>She hears a shuffle on the other side of the wall and draws her gun before approaching.</p><p>“Come out with your hands up,” she says.</p><p>When she turns the corner, she sees the same scene as before. Greg laying on the floor, the gun now at his fingertips.</p><p>She looks around to see there is no one there.</p><p>She hears footsteps behind her and turns to see a woman approaching, her eyes intent on Greg and a cape flowing behind her back.</p><p>“LAPD! Don’t move!” Chloe yells, her gun aimed at the approaching woman.</p><p>The woman continues to move forward, ignoring Chloe. She looks angry, like there is hell behind her eyes.</p><p>Chloe braces herself and pulls the trigger, but her gun jams. She looks at it oddly. The woman walks past her and moves to kneel at Greg’s body.</p><p>It is then Chloe sees the light blue fog seeping from his nose.</p><p>The woman grabs the tail of the mist and curls her hand around it like it were warm and malleable wax. In one smooth motion, she pulls it, yanking it out of Greg’s nose. Immediately, when she lets go, Greg stands there, next to his body. He looks around, confused before looking at Chloe, then turning his eyes to his body.</p><p>“I … what?” Greg asks.</p><p>He turns to the woman as she reaches into a hilt at her side and pulls out a small dagger. She stares at it lovingly, angrily.</p><p>It is white and red with gold edges and looks oddly familiar. Like it was made by the same person that made the dagger that Lucifer had …</p><p>Chloe furrows her brows.</p><p>
  <em>Oh.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>No wonder he wanted that knife so badly.</p><p>“W-W-Wait! I can explain,” Greg asks.</p><p>“Save it for an angel who cares,” she says as she pulls the knife back and, in one swift motion, cuts Greg’s spirit at the waist.</p><p>He immediately dissipates into a fog of white smoke, and there is a silence left in his wake.</p><p>She pushes the blade back in her hilt and turns to the car. Chloe’s heart just about jumps out of her chest.</p><p>“No!” Chloe says, walking after the woman.</p><p>The woman makes it to the car and stares through the passenger window at Lucifer’s body. She hums a grim hum and tuts.</p><p>“You can’t take hi-,” Chloe begins to say, approaching the woman and ready to pull her away from the car.</p><p>“What did you do this time, brother?” the woman asks.</p><p>Chloe pauses and stares.</p><p>
  <em>Brother?</em>
</p><p>The woman turns to Chloe and stares at her, finally acknowledging her presence. She looks her over for a second before the dark rage in her eyes fades, and it is replaced with a bubbly smile.</p><p>“I’m not here for you chica,” she says, “you got a long way to go.”</p><p>She turns to Lucifer’s body and sighs.</p><p>“Besides. Lucifer would have my head if I reaped his girlfriend,” she says.</p><p>Chloe opens her mouth, “Who-,” she begins before suddenly the woman is gone, disappearing into shadows.</p><p>The wail of sirens is closer now, sounds like just a few blocks away. She begins to feel panic, outweighing her need to mourn.</p><p>Whoever that was had taken Greg but didn’t take Lucifer.</p><p>Which means …</p><p>Which means she needed to move his body.</p><p>If he was going to be back in three days, she didn’t need another news story about it or having to explain to the Lieutenant how Lucifer was dead and now suddenly is not.</p><p>She reaches into her pocket, her hands shaking and dials the first number she can think of.</p><p>It rings and rings and then clicks.</p><p>“Amenadiel,” she says breathily, trying to hold back her tears and the panic beginning to form in her voice.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! Just wanted to say thank you to all who have stuck with this work since part one. I know it's long because I'm an overachiever and I know I've been bad about replying to all your awesome comments, but now that I'm not constantly working on this fic I can be a little better about that!</p><p>Follow me on hrfiction.tumblr.com to see updates on this fic and others!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Reverence</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ezria makes a big decree as new ruler of hell, Lucifer learns something about his father, Amenadiel pushes Father Kyle too hard, Dan continues to have bad dreams, Maze holds up her end of the bargain by accompanying Natalie to a wedding, Natalie and Maze come to an agreement, Calmos gets his freedom and Chloe makes a promise.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>------</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>In hell, a demon sits by an open fire in the center of a large room. Here, he turns a human leg on a spitfire. He leans forward and pokes it with his finger before reaching back and pulling a blade from his waistband. He slices off a sliver of charred flesh to reveal a white and cooked meat below.</p><p>He pulls the sliver of charred meat up to his lips right as the door bursts open and two guards walk-in. The demon stands, unaware of what is going on but prepared to fight.</p><p>"Your blades," one guard says, "hand them over."</p><p>"What?" the demon says.</p><p>"By order of our new King, all blades are hereby banished. Turn over your blades or be sent to the void."</p><p>The demon laughs, "He can't do that. He isn't King! Lucifer is King."</p><p>The guard moves forward, pulling out a long sword etched with strange markings.</p><p>"Must we ask again?" the guard says.</p><p>The demon looks down at the sword, then back to the guard.</p><p>"Give me freedom or give me-"he begins to say, walking forward.</p><p>The guard, with little hesitation, places a hand on his sword and draws it from its sheath in one smooth sideways motion. It cuts deep into the demon's side, almost splitting him in half. The blade gets lodged by his spine, and the demon collapses to his knees in pain. The sword's blade begins to heat as fire pours into the etching and mixes with the demon's blood.</p><p>The demon laughs, "Let it be known I fought," he says with a smile, as if death - in this way - were an honor.</p><p>A fire crawls up the veins in his forehead and down his arms until suddenly he bursts into embers. The embers cool and fall into a scattered pile of ash on the ground. The knife that was clutched in his hand clangs to the ground.</p><p>The guard pulls his sword back and looks around before finding a cloth sitting on a stool nearby. He wipes the singed blood off his sword the best he can. Meanwhile, the other guard reaches down to grab the blade before he sifts through the cooling pile of ash and finds a second blade, no doubt the one that had been tucked into the long-gone demon's waistband. They both nod and turn to exit.</p><p>They exit into a wide pathway and approach a guarded cart full of blades. Surrounding them, demons stand yelling and cursing at the guards.</p><p>"You can't do this!" one demon says.</p><p>"Hellfire on you!" another screams.</p><p>Other Guards fight the demons back as they attempt to overtake the cart.</p><p>A few demons get too bold and find themselves impaled by disinterested guards before they too burst into embers.</p><p>"Next!" the guard yells to the front of the cart as he tosses the blade onto the pile.</p><p>A demon on the cart's driver seat snaps the reigns, and two hell beasts lurch forward, dragging the cart with them.</p><p>
  <strong>-------</strong>
</p><p>From the balcony of the tower, Ezria stands watching as several carts roll through the streets. He stares with reserved amusement as demons try to overtake the guards with little success.</p><p>Behind him, the door opens, and Calmos enters. Ezria turns, the darkness in his eyes draining like rainwater down a storm drain as he sees Calmos.</p><p>Ezria smiles.</p><p>Calmos, however, is not smiling as he approaches.</p><p>“My King,” Calmos says, “the demons are not pleased by your decree. I fear they may try mut-”</p><p>Ezria scoffs, “they are not meant to be <em>pleased</em>, Calmos. This is hell, not some sleepaway camp.”</p><p>He pauses.</p><p>He turns to Calmos, “what is ... <em>sleepaway</em> camp?” he asks.</p><p>Calmos shakes his head, ignoring that question in favor of his own, “Perhaps your rule should begin by winning their favor, not winning their hatred. You’re going to have a mutiny on your hands.”</p><p>Ezria scoffs again and turns. He moves away from the balcony and walks towards a nearby couch.</p><p>“Please, don’t insult me, Calmos. I am an Angel, and they are demons. I must command them, and they will soon learn to like this change. For far too long have they been free to decide amongst them who lives and dies, to play God.”</p><p>“and so now you are playing God, is that right?” Calmos says, upset.</p><p>Ezria looks at him, “Am I not to the closest to God?” he asks, leaning forward, “Should I not be allowed to decide?”</p><p>“What about protection?” Calmos says, “They need their blades to protect themselves from other demons.”</p><p>“When no demon has a weapon, what will they need protection from? Fists? Surely a fistfight isn’t an execution Calmos,” Ezria says, laughing.</p><p>“What about me?” Calmos says, “without my blades, I am… I am-“</p><p>“You are my sentinel,” Ezria says, standing before reaching out and cupping his hands around Calmos’ shoulders.</p><p>He looks down at him lovingly, with a smile that is warm and full.</p><p>“You are not like them. You will <em>never </em>be like them. You will be protected. You will have your own blades, should you choose to use them.”</p><p>Calmos reluctantly sighs, not sure Ezria understands his reservations. The demons with their blades were rough, sure, but no demon dared to fight another because one deep pierce from a demon blade would send them to the void. Without said blades, the stronger demons will beat the smaller ones …the <em>weaker</em> ones into submission.</p><p>“And you have me,” he says, reaching up and caressing Calmos’ face.</p><p>Calmos leans into it before turning his head into Ezria’s palm and allowing a thumb to slip into his mouth.</p><p>Ezria’s smile wanes and is replaced by a hungry stare.</p><p>“It’s been far longer than I care to admit since we last became intimate, Calmos,” he says.</p><p>Calmos smiles and nods.</p><p>“That makes one thing we are in agreement about,” Calmos says before leaning forward and kissing Ezria.</p><p>There is a knock on the door, and they pause before turning to it.</p><p>“Enter,” Ezria says as Calmos pulls away from him.</p><p>Two guards enter and stand at the doorway.</p><p>“My King, the bladesmith, is refusing to cooperate. He’s barricaded the forge, and he and several demons guard the door,” one demon says.</p><p>The other nods.</p><p>“We would dispatch them as normal but …,” the other demon says.</p><p>They look at one another, a knowing look in their glance.</p><p>“You told us to leave the bladesmith unharmed,” the first demon says.</p><p>Calmos turns to Ezria and looks at him as if he wasn’t aware of that ordinance.</p><p>Ezria doesn’t look at Calmos but can feel his stare.</p><p>“I see,” Ezria says, gravely, his eyes moving down to the floor as he thinks.</p><p>Suddenly, he turns to Calmos.</p><p>“Perhaps you might be able to talk some sense into your father,” Ezria says.</p><p>Calmos scoffs and shakes his head, “He would never listen to me.”</p><p>“You are aware of our other option,” Ezria says, “correct?”</p><p>His eyebrows raise as if to suggest if Calmos can’t fix it, he will. Though, his idea of “fixing” is decidedly <em>less</em> passive.</p><p>Calmos sighs and nods.</p><p>“Fine. I will speak to him.”</p><p>Ezria nods and turns to the guards.</p><p>“We will speak to the bladesmith. Go prepare for our escort while I change.”</p><p>The guards nod and exit, closing the door behind them.</p><p>Calmos looks over Ezria and furrows his eyebrows.</p><p>“Change?” he asks.</p><p>Ezria nods and begins to unbutton his shirt.</p><p>“If the demons are to regard me as their new King, I need to be dressed as a new King should be.”</p><p>
  <strong>--------</strong>
</p><p>A few patrons stand near the door in a tattoo shop as officers speak with them and write down notes. Nearby, a camera flashes. The door swings open, and Chloe walks in. She slowly peels off her sunglasses. She glances around for a second before walking forward to Ella, who is crouched over a woman's bleeding body.</p><p>"What do we have?" Chloe says, taking note of the shop before turning to Ella.</p><p>Ella stands up and lowers the camera.</p><p>"Brittany Deacon, 33 years old, worked as a tattoo artist here for the past two years. The phone call came in this morning from her first client of the day," Ella says, looking past Chloe and pointing to a woman speaking with an officer near the door.</p><p>Chloe turns to her and takes note of her.</p><p>"Witness said she saw the perp running towards the back door as she entered, but didn't see the body until she came around the counter. Judging on the flesh tone and the consistency of the blood and body temperature, I would say she probably died…"</p><p>Ella stares at the body, calculating in her head.</p><p>"Three, maybe four hours ago?"</p><p>Chloe nods, "right before we got the call."</p><p>Ella nods, "I haven't found the murder weapon yet," she says, carefully walking to the other side of the body and kneeling.</p><p>"But I would say the cause of death has something to do with the massive wound on her jugular."</p><p>Chloe carefully leans over as Ella turns the woman's neck. Chloe swallows and nods before crossing her arms.</p><p>She tries not to draw a connection with the woman's wound and Lucifer's.</p><p>She has a flash of memory in her brain. Of Lucifer laying across her car, his hand holding his neck and staring out into nothing.</p><p>She clears her throat.</p><p>"Do we have a lead on the suspect?" Chloe says, blinking, and willing her eyes to focus on something else.</p><p>Ella shakes her head and stands.</p><p>"No. We have a few officers casing within a ten-mile radius, but nothing yet."</p><p>Chloe inhales and nods, "Alright. I'll go talk to the witness."</p><p>Ella nods and kneels back down before bringing the camera to her face, holding, and snapping another picture.</p><p>Chloe walks towards the seating area by the front door. Towards an officer speaking to the woman Ella pointed out.</p><p>"That's all I remember," the woman says, her hands wrung.</p><p>Chloe approaches, as the Officer speaking to the woman moves to the next witness.</p><p>Chloe flashes her badge, "I was told you were the first person on the scene."</p><p>The woman nods, "yes, I … I came in this morning. I've been trying to get an appointment for months now. Brittany was the best at the kind of style I was looking for."</p><p>Chloe nods, "What time was your appointment?"</p><p>"9:30," she says, "But I wanted to come a bit early to speak with Brittany about the piece. It's a pretty detailed."</p><p>"Detailed?" Chloe asks.</p><p>The woman nods and turns around to reach into her bag before pulling out a folded piece of paper. She gives it to Chloe, and Chloe unfolds it. Inside, tucked gently between the folds of paper is a single tarot card.</p><p>"It's the Queen of Cups," the woman says, "You know, in Tarot? I'm a Pisces and cups is a water suit so … she kind of represents me, you know?"</p><p>Chloe looks up at the woman and nods, "I see."</p><p>"I wanted her tattooed above my heart. She represents compassion and intuition, and I just … I wanted to look at her every day and remind myself to trust my intuition."</p><p>"Intuition," Chloe says, "was it your intuition telling you to come by early?"</p><p>The woman chuckles and nods, "I get it. It's a hippy thing to say. I mean, we're in California, and everyone here wants an alternative religion or something, but …"</p><p>"I'm not judging you," Chloe says, handing the folded paper back to her.</p><p>She accepts it with a smile.</p><p>"I'm just asking if you often show up to things early," Chloe says.</p><p>The woman shakes her head, "Actually, I'm pretty late to most things," she laughs.</p><p>She pauses, her smile falling.</p><p>"But something said I should be here. I couldn't really sleep at all last night. Maybe it was the excitement?"</p><p>Chloe nods, "You said you saw a man running out the back door, can you describe him?"</p><p>"Uhm, yeah, he was wearing a black hoodie and blue jeans. I couldn't really see his face, but he had short brown hair."</p><p>Chloe watches as the woman opens the paper and pulls the card out before turning and reaching into her purse, where she pulls out a purple velvet bag. She reaches in and grabs a deck of cards before tucking the card lovingly into the deck and shuffling. The woman looks up at Chloe and smiles.</p><p>"I have to clear them, you know … murder isn't a great energy to carry back home."</p><p>Chloe nods, "the man you saw running, was he being chased, or was he following anyone?"</p><p>The woman shakes her head, still shuffling in her hands, "No …"</p><p>Her eyes furrow, and she pauses, shifting the deck into one hand.</p><p>"Now that you mention it," she says, pointing her free hand, "he was running towards the door, and the door <em>was </em>already open."</p><p>Chloe nods and narrows her eyes.</p><p>He must have been following someone, she thinks, maybe it was a robbery gone wrong or-</p><p>"Oops!" the woman says as she moves to put the deck back into its bag.</p><p>A single card falls out. It falls to the ground in front of Chloe and knocks her out of her thought process.</p><p>She stares at it.</p><p>The Devil Card.</p><p>The woman reaches down and picks it up before standing and smiling.</p><p>"Sometimes they get away from you," she says.</p><p>She pauses when she sees the look on Chloe's face.</p><p>She turns her eyes to the card in her hand then to Chloe before flipping it around to face Chloe.</p><p>"Unless it wasn't an accident," she says, deep thought in her eyes.</p><p>"What does that mean?" Chloe asks, nonchalantly, trying not to betray her curiosity despite it being <em>very</em> obvious.</p><p>"Well, by itself, not much. I'd have to pull more cards. Unless … you already have an idea of what it means."</p><p>Chloe slowly and reluctantly nods.</p><p>"Would you …. Do you-"the woman says, pointing to her deck.</p><p>"Uh, I don't think that would be approp-"Chloe begins shaking her head.</p><p>The woman smiles.</p><p>"Here, we'll trade. You ask me some questions, and I'll ask you some questions. Sounds fair, right?" she says, placing the devil card on the counter.</p><p>"Uh … sure, Fine." Chloe responds, shrugging.</p><p>She brushes a loose strand of hair behind her ears before turning to see if anyone is watching her.</p><p>Everyone seems preoccupied.</p><p>"So uhm, you said you had been hoping to get this appointment for months. Was Brittany particularly busy?" Chloe asks.</p><p>The woman nods as she shuffles again, her mind concentrating, wanting to know what the devil card meant.</p><p>"She was big on Instagram. That's where I found her," the woman says, as she stops shuffling and flips over the top card.</p><p>The Moon.</p><p>"Huh," she says.</p><p>Chloe narrows her eyes.</p><p>"Wha- what does that mean?"</p><p>The woman smiles, "It was the other card I was going to get tattooed. It's again about trusting intuition, but … the meaning depends on the cards next to it," she says, setting it next to the devil card.</p><p>She draws another card from the deck.</p><p>It's the Ace of Cups, but it's turned upside down.</p><p>"Oh," she says grimly.</p><p>"When you do that, it's not exactly comforting," Chloe says.</p><p>"I'm not going to die, am I?" Chloe says, chuckling nervously.</p><p>The woman smiles.</p><p>"This card," she says, pointing to the first card, the Devil card.</p><p>It shows the Devil, or at least the artists' interpretation of him, towering over a man and a woman. They appear to be held against their will, shackled to the chair where the Devil sits, but a closer look shows the chains are loose, some even open.</p><p>They are there of their own free will.</p><p>"Not a very nice card," the woman says, "but again, it's all about the cards that are next to it. By itself, it could be about negativity. About the darker side within us all, but…"\</p><p>Her eyes scan the other two cards, "You see this man and woman?"</p><p>Chloe nods, entirely out of the fact that she is a crime scene and only feet away from a dead body.</p><p>"It's desire," the woman says.</p><p>"Sounds about right," Chloe says, an amused tone to her voice.</p><p>She had almost forgotten what it felt like to think about him in a way that wasn't related to the fact that he as gone.</p><p>His tendency to make things sexual, to make things about him. The way he looked at her and held her. The way he whispered his secrets into her ear as she dozed off to sleep, as if just knowing she was listening brought him comfort. She missed those parts about him.</p><p>He had been gone for a little over three months, and she <em>missed </em>him<em>.</em></p><p>"It speaks about a powerful connection between two people," the woman continues, pointing to the man and the woman, "It could also be about a person. A lot of the cards have people references. Like, I'm the Queen of Cups, so this card might be someone in your life."</p><p>Chloe nods, "I know who," she says, her eyes staring into her own memories.</p><p>It had been so long since she heard his voice or smelled his cologne.</p><p>"Okay, great. So, keep that in mind. That this is a person," she says tapping the Devil card, "and next to it, we have the moon. This card is about intuition, again, but also about illusion. Since it's next to the devil card there is something …there is something not right about this person."</p><p>Chloe tilts her head.</p><p>"There is a veil being cast over the perception of this person, something that is an illusion about their life."</p><p>Chloe furrows her eyes and shakes her head, "I don't know what that means."</p><p>"Okay, that's fine," the woman says, looking back at the cards.</p><p>She stands there for a moment, looking at the cards and thinking.</p><p>Chloe shifts on her foot and turns her head behind her.</p><p>"You said you found her on Instagram," Chloe says.</p><p>The woman nods, still staring at the cards.</p><p>"Did she post where she worked on Instagram?" Chloe asks.</p><p>The woman laughs and nods before turning to Chloe.</p><p>"Yeah, how do you think I found her?"</p><p>"Hmm," Chloe says, pausing before she reaches for her phone.</p><p>"What is her Instagram?" Chloe asks.</p><p>The woman stares at the cards and tilts her head.</p><p>"Huh," she says, "Okay … what about fear?"</p><p>"Fear?" Chloe asks, looking up from her phone.</p><p>"I only ask that because the next card is the ace of cups, which usually is about an offering or the chance for a new emotional attachment. Maybe new love or a new friendship. But because its upside down, I'm getting more of a sense of repressing emotions. Something negative, something like, 'I don't want to talk or think about.'"</p><p>"That would be the one," Chloe says nodding, prodding her phone to pull up the app store so she can download Instagram.</p><p>Had it really been that long since she spoke with him? It seemed like just yesterday she was crying over his absence, but lately, she's just been … <em>numb.</em></p><p>She misses his touch.</p><p>"Do you mind if I pull a few more? This all feels unfinished," she says.</p><p>Chloe shakes her head, "Go ahead," she says as she installs the app on her phone.</p><p>She looks behind her to make sure no one is paying attention, and she finds everyone still preoccupied. She turns back to the woman and clears her throat before shifting on her leg.</p><p>The woman pulls another card to reveal The World card. Except it's upside down.</p><p>"Hmm," she says, pausing only momentarily before pulling another, then another.</p><p>The Knight of Pentacles then the Three of swords.</p><p>"Oh, a love triangle," she says, intrigued.</p><p>Chloe lifts her head up as the app installs on her phone, "What?" she says, confused.</p><p>"There's another man here," she says, tapping the son of pentacles, "someone responsible and hardworking. It's right next to the Three of Swords."</p><p>She points to the card with three swords piercing a bloody heart.</p><p>"I think we can guess what that is about, right?" she says, laughing.</p><p>Chloe looks at the card and shakes her head.</p><p>"I don't… I don't think that is right."</p><p>"No?" she says, turning to the card and looking at the ones she's already pulled.</p><p>Chloe shakes her head.</p><p>The woman pulls another card. The Seven of pentacles.</p><p>"Mmhmm," she says, "Seven of Pentacles, which is about reflection, looking back on how you got here. Looking forward to the future. Thinking less about the present and more about … the future, the long term. Gaining perspective."</p><p>"That can't be right," Chloe says, leaning over to look at the cards.</p><p>Lucifer was always thinking only of the now, of what made him feel good now. She had thought he was reckless because of it, but … it was kind of nice <em>living</em> for a change. Being reckless.</p><p>"And this card," the woman says, pointing to the world card, "it's about closure. About completing a cycle but because its upside down, I'm getting that whatever is happening isn't done. The cycle isn't complete."</p><p>The woman lets out a deep sigh and shakes her head, "Gah, you know I just … It feels like," she says as she slaps another card down.</p><p>Four of Swords. It's an image of a man lying down in bed, a sword at his side, and three swords hanging precariously over him.</p><p>"Yup," she says.</p><p>"What, what is that?" Chloe says, completely forgetting about what she was doing.</p><p>"This is about perspective," the woman says, "It's next to the Seven of pentacles so it kind of reads as …<em>' I know what is coming and I'm going to take one for the team'</em> kind of situation."</p><p>"It's like…" the woman says pausing, trying to think about what she wants to say.</p><p>Her eyes briefly move to the body on the ground, and she stares at it before realizing what she is looking at.</p><p>She looks away, back to the cards.</p><p>Suddenly she is lightheaded like she has an out of body experience and sees herself standing there, giving a reading to a cop at a crime scene. It feels all too surreal, but also like she was <em>supposed</em> to be here.</p><p>She turns her eyes to Chloe, who looks at her as if waiting for her to finish her answer.</p><p>"Oh, uhm," she says getting her body back on track as her head begins to buzz.</p><p>"It's like … if you were to connect the dots and figured out that what you want isn't what someone else needs, so you like … become the sacrificial lamb in a sense. You give up your own desires to make the other person happy."</p><p>"There is loss here," she says, turning back to the cards with pity in her eyes.</p><p>Chloe stares at her, not understanding what is going on.</p><p>The woman pulls another card, almost oblivious that Chloe is standing next to her.</p><p>Ten of Swords.</p><p>"Betrayal. It's painful," she says, nodding, "I know buddy. I know."</p><p>She pulls another card, the Queen of Wands.</p><p>"Yup, and there she is. The harlot," she says.</p><p>"Excuse me?" Chloe says, offended.</p><p>The woman looks at her, suddenly aware Chloe is there.</p><p>"Sorry!" she says, "I didn't mean you I just …"</p><p>"No, it's fine, can we just … can we get back to this? What is Brittany's Instagram?" Chloe says.</p><p>"Uhm," the woman says, looking back at the cards, "it's 'at Brittany loves tattooes.' All one word."</p><p>"Thanks," Chloe says as she begins to type it in.</p><p>The woman turns back to the cards and looks over them.</p><p>Chloe, meanwhile, scrolls through Brittany's Instagram. If she had tons of followers and published where she works …it might not be hard to find a motive from her images. Maybe she posted money or gems or –</p><p>She pauses on a video of Brittany celebrating her birthday recently. In it, she accepts a gift from a man, an antique tattoo gun. Chloe narrows her eyes.</p><p>"This guy," the woman beside her says, pointing to the Devil card, "and this woman," she says, pointing to the Queen of Wands, "are in this … passionate and powerful attachment."</p><p>Chloe is snapped out of her work as the woman next to her explains what she is seeing.</p><p>"I mean, passionate. Like the kind of passion you only get once in a lifetime. To the point where it almost feels like … out of their control, you know? Like destiny. Like if soul mates were ever a thing, these two are it."</p><p>"Okay, "Chloe says, nodding, her interest again on what this woman is saying.</p><p>"Except they kind of give off this star-crossed lovers vibe. There is this issue with repressed emotions or … something from the past," she says, pointing to the ace of cups, "that lead him to put on this façade, this illusion, "she says, pointing to the moon."</p><p>Chloe nods, her eyes raised as if to say she was hitting the nail on the head.</p><p>"And there is something here that is … like standing in their way. Something unfinished. Something that has begun that is not yet complete. Or maybe it's a perception of the two, I can't quite pinpoint it," she says, reaching out and grabbing the World card.</p><p>She shakes it in her hand, looking at it as her eyes roam over the imagery.</p><p>She shakes her head and turns to the next card, "Whatever it is, it basically drives this woman into the arms of another man," she says, pointing to the son of pentacles</p><p>Chloe furrows her eyebrows.</p><p>"Okay, I don't think that's acc-"</p><p>"And he's angry at first. He feels betrayed, but something gives him a little perspective," she says, pointing to the seven of pentacles, "and ultimately makes the decision to basically sit on it. As in, he's going to take one for the team and let it happen because he thinks<em> this</em> guy is much more reliable than he can ever be for this woman."</p><p>Chloe shakes her head, "That … that isn't the case. I mean, you had me up until the other man part but … I mean, what we have is …it's-"</p><p>"So, it <em>is </em>you?" the woman says, "<em>you're</em> the woman?"</p><p>Chloe clears her throat and steps back, pulling herself back into work mode.</p><p>"I … I'm sorry I shouldn't have-" she says.</p><p>The woman turns to her deck and pulls out another card. The Queen of Swords.</p><p>"This is unprofessional, and you've just had a very traumatic-"Chloe continues.</p><p>"Huh," she says, tilting her head, her eyebrows furrowed.</p><p>She pulls another, The Queen of Pentacles.</p><p>"Oh," she says grimly.</p><p>"Okay, you <em>have</em> to stop doing that," Chloe says.</p><p>Then another card, The Queen of Cups.</p><p>"Oh, he <em>loves</em> you," she says, turning to Chloe, "there's so much feminine energy here it's …it's actually a little <em>sick</em> how much he is enamored with you. Like, he thinks you are all the feminine energies. Nurture, imagination, intelligence, and passion."</p><p>She looks at the cards for a bit and frowns," I'm actually surprised I didn't pull an empress," she says.</p><p>"That's sweet, but… I think I've heard all I need to know," she says, writing it off.</p><p>Another man? A love triangle? This felt like a Soap Opera, and Lucifer and her just weren't that kind of person. Or, she wasn't that kind of person. She supposes Lucifer isn't that kind of <em>Angel</em> either.</p><p>Isn't?</p><p>
  <em>Or Wasn't?</em>
</p><p>Chloe shakes that thought out of her head. She needed to focus.</p><p>"Now, about Ms. Deacon. How long were you two in communication?" Chloe asks.</p><p>The woman draws another card. The four of Cups.</p><p>"Like I said," she says, turning to Chloe, "I was trying to get this appointment for months. I spoke a little bit about the idea, but I hadn't really settled on a card until last week."</p><p>"and what did she say about your choice?" Chloe asks, her eyes curiously flicking to the cards as the woman draws another.</p><p>The Ten of Cups.</p><p>"She liked it," the woman says, looking at the cards with a furrowed brow, "She said she was happy to …"</p><p>The woman pauses, staring at everything.</p><p>"Happy to what?" Chloe says, not able to help herself from staring either.</p><p>The woman looks up at her, "Happy to work on me," she says, staring at Chloe as if trying to figure it out.</p><p>She looks down at her hand and picks another card. Judgment.</p><p>She sets the card back on top of the deck and stares off into the distance.</p><p>"So, you weren't upset with her about maybe ... her saying your tattoo was bad? Maybe suggesting you push back the appointment?"</p><p>The woman stares off into the distance.</p><p>Chloe opens her mouth to call the woman's name when she realizes she didn't ask it.</p><p>"I'm sorry, I … I didn't catch your name."</p><p>The woman turns to her, "Brenda," she says, "Brenda Aims."</p><p>"Right, Ms. Aims, can you answer the question?"</p><p>Brenda nods and turns back to the cards, "Yes, she was excited to work on my tattoo. I wanted to wait a little longer. You know, to make sure I chose the right card, but she was the one who insisted on doing it sooner. She said she had some trip or something planned. She was also worried that if I waited any longer, I might not get it. Or I might think too hard on it."</p><p>Brenda turns her eyes upwards to where she can barely make out Brittany's heeled feet lying on the floor.</p><p>"I suppose I won't be getting one for a while," she says, her eyes turning back to the cards.</p><p>That sadness in her eyes disappears as she goes back to looking at the deck and tilting her head.</p><p>She reaches out, pulls the judgment card from the deck, and sets it down. She then reaches for another card pulls out the wheel of fortune card. She smiles and sets it down next to the judgment card.</p><p>"Aww, that's nice," she says.</p><p>Chloe doesn't ask anything, she just looks at her as if expecting the answer anyway.</p><p>"It's a happy ending," Brenda says, turning to her.</p><p>"Loss and sadness," she says, turning to point at the four of cups.</p><p>"that is destined to happen," she says, pointing to the ten of cups, "And fighting it only makes it worst."</p><p>Then we have the judgment card which … sounds bad but really it's about starting anew. About replenishment, having a higher calling …about rebirth."</p><p>Chloe looks at her, "Rebirth?" she asks, sticking to that word as if that was all she heard.</p><p>Brenda nods.</p><p>"and this one," she says, pulling the wheel of fortune, "It's the ending of the cycle that started with the world card. It's about completion. But it's also about destiny again. There are actually quite a few cards related to destiny and fate here," she says, her eyebrows furrowing.</p><p>"It's a big … it looks like it's a big motivator. Like, there is something divine pulling strings," Brenda says.</p><p>Chloe scoffs and crosses her arms, "Yeah, well that's an understatement."</p><p>Brenda turns to her and smiles, "You seemed upset at the idea of another man, which means that …you're still very early in this whole thing."</p><p>"Okay," Chloe says, her eyebrows raised.</p><p>"The key thing with Tarot is that it isn't an indicator of the future, only an indicator of a specific future. Of the path you are on. If you don't like any of this, you can change it if you want. None of this is set in stone."</p><p>Chloe scoffs, "Yeah, well, you don't know his father."</p><p>Chloe chuckles to herself before her smile falls.</p><p>Rebirth?</p><p>Did that mean he would come back? Did that mean she would get involved in a love triangle? It wasn't like her to take the word of Tarot over reality. There were enough fake Psychics in L.A to warrant her hesitation but …</p><p>The Devil was real.</p><p>God was real.</p><p>There were things in this world she couldn't explain, and maybe this was one of them.</p><p>Why this woman was able to pull out that Lucifer had repressed emotions. Why she knew that this thing between them felt like …. destiny.</p><p>"So, you think," Chloe says, a lump in her throat that threatens to make her cry, "So you think this thing between the two will … will continue?"</p><p>"Chloe," she hears.</p><p>She turns to see Ella in the small hallway that leads to the back of the shop. Ella nods for her to follow.</p><p>"One moment," Chloe says to Brenda.</p><p>Brenda nods, and Chloe turns to walk away. She looks down at the spread in front of her and nods to herself. She pauses, furrows her eyebrows, then tilts her head before curiously drawing another card and setting it on top.</p><p>The Sun.</p><p>She nods and smiles.</p><p>"<em>God</em>, I love a happy ending," she says.</p><p>Chloe walks back towards the hallway as Ella begins to head outback.</p><p>"I think we found our guy," Ella says.</p><p>"That's great, I could use an easy case," Chloe says, her head spinning from trying not to turn the impromptu reading into hope.</p><p>She wanted it to be hope. She wanted to feel something other than the nothingness she's felt recently, but … the caution in her wins. She needed to be guarded. Otherwise ...</p><p>"No, not great," Ella says as they exit into the alley behind the shop.</p><p>Here, a few officers stand near a pile of broken wood pallets.</p><p>Ella stops in front of it and points.</p><p>"Looks like someone got to him before we did," Ella says.</p><p>Chloe walks around the pallets and is first met with the bright white sneakers of a body lying on the ground. Her eyes follow it up and run a checklist in her head.</p><p>Jeans, check.</p><p>Black hoodie, check.</p><p>Short brown hair.</p><p>She groans and crosses her arms.</p><p>"Shit," Chloe says.</p><p>Ella nods, "Double homicide. Not exactly easy," she says.</p><p>Chloe sighs and nods, "Yeah."</p><p>Ella kneels to take pictures of this body, and Chloe stands back. She crosses her arms, her brain sliding back to Brenda.</p><p><em>Rebirth</em>, she hears in her mind repeated, <em>rebirth.</em></p><p>---------</p><p>Inside Limbo, Lucifer sits on the pile of grey and black rock. He plays with them, letting them fall between his fingers like grains of sand on the beach.</p><p>"We grow weary, Samael," the voice says, upset and annoyed.</p><p>"Yes, well, the feeling is mutual, Steve. I can call you Steve, right? You sound like a Steve to me," he says.</p><p>The voice groans, and the groan echoes throughout the fog.</p><p>"Look, all you have to do is tell me what I need to do to stop coming here, and I'll be out of your … hair, or whatever it is you have," Lucifer says.</p><p>He pauses for a second.</p><p>"Is that why you insist on hiding? Are you bald?"</p><p>No response.</p><p>"Steve," he says, listening for a reply.</p><p>There is no reply.</p><p>"Steve, are you bald? That's nothing to be ashamed of. My brother is bald, and he does quite well with-"</p><p>"Enough!" the voice yells, the world-shaking just a bit.</p><p>"Oh, <em>Steve</em>," Lucifer says properly, chuffed, "someone is upset. No need to get your knickers in a bunch, Darling."</p><p>Lucifer pauses, a grin on his face.</p><p>"Or do you go, commando? I'm partial to letting it fall free myself."</p><p>"Decide, Samael," it says, having enough of Lucifer's shit, "You must decide. Where does your Guilt lay?"</p><p>Lucifer laughs as he stands, "Guilt? And exactly what am I to have guilt for? How am <em>I</em> supposed to know if you don't even know what I'm supposed to be guilty of!"</p><p>"That is not our place," the voice says from a different area behind him.</p><p>Lucifer turns to again see the black cloak of whoever is in the fog.</p><p>"Is that so?" he asks.</p><p>"So, your place is to what? Sort souls into heaven and hell, and you don't even verify their guilt is their own?" he asks.</p><p>People like Fred, who had felt guilt for something that was not his fault. Hell was for those who felt remorse for their actions, for bad people who were guilty of murder or more.</p><p>He had assumed there were a check and balance system to prevent people like Fred from being locked in a cell. For people how had tortured themselves in life for something that - in the end - they were innocent of.</p><p>But there was no system.</p><p>There were just voices in the fog. It didn't seem right.</p><p>"That is the job of the angels," the voice says.</p><p>Lucifer scoffs.</p><p>"I-," he says before he pauses, his head suddenly feeling light.</p><p>He takes a deep breath before slowly kneeling as the lightheadedness becomes heavier and heavier.</p><p>"He has heard us," a voice says, followed by a bevy of sighs.</p><p>"He has heard our desires."</p><p>"Who has -," Lucifer begins to say before he lays face down on the gravel, the rocks feeling cool, almost freezing.</p><p>"Who has heard-," he tries to say, but he is tired.</p><p>Slowly he turns onto his back as the fog begins to dissipate and give way to the darkness behind his closed lids.</p><p>--------</p><p>Lucifer's eyes slowly open, a thick fog slowly rising from his lips. He stares outward, covered again in a white sheet. Though his eyes are open, his stare is blank and thoughtless.</p><p>Slowly, the pupils in his eyes contract, and the confusion behind them turns into clarity. He tries to reach up and touch his hand to the white veil above him, but he can't move.</p><p>His limbs are locked and cold as ice, and his skin is also stuck to the metal table beneath him, making him have to apply more force to separate himself from the metal.</p><p>Or, at least he wants to, but he's so tired. He lays beneath the sheet, breathing as he tries to gather energy. His breaths become deeper as warmth starts to radiate from his core.</p><p>The fog beneath the blanket heats with each new breath, turning the environment beneath the sheet into a warm dome of hot air.</p><p>Suddenly the sheet is ripped off of him, and he shuts his eyes.</p><p>"How are you finding your mortality?" he hears.</p><p>He slowly opens his eyes, the brightness of the light dulling with each passing second until he can make out the form hovering above him.</p><p>Father.</p><p>He frowns, this was the last being he expected or wanted. He tries to sit up, but again his limbs are rigid.</p><p>He powers through it, summoning a spark of fire in his eyes until he sits up, peeling his skin from the metal and snapping his torso like a chem light.</p><p>It burns and hurts, but that pain slowly starts to fade.</p><p>Immediately his body starts to heat up like fire was chucked into the furnace of his being.</p><p>"Absolutely," Lucifer says, his voice airy and dry as he gathers the strength behind that word.</p><p>He slowly turns his hips, peeling his skin off the cold slab.</p><p>"Wretched," he finishes as he turns too far and falls face-first onto the floor.</p><p>He groans and tries to move his arms to push himself off the ground, but they are cold and stiff.</p><p>He gives up trying and speaks, his cheek flat on the ground.</p><p>"I'm sure you are …," he says, taking another deep breath, "… very entertained."</p><p>Lucifer doesn't hear God's approach, but he feels the warmth of God's hands around his shoulders. He is lifted with great ease, like one lifts the flag on a mailbox, and is placed back on the table.</p><p>"If you're going to make me," he says, taking another deep breath as the engine of his lungs slowly revs to life, "mortal, at least allow me to<em> live</em>."</p><p>Here, sitting upright and facing the light, Lucifer can make out the room he is in.</p><p>It is a giant, industrial freezer.</p><p>The walls are lined with hooked and hanging pork bodies. They are cut in half, frost forming on the exposed bone.</p><p>He turns his eyes in the other direction, his neck stiff, too stiff to move. He groans and tries to move it anyway, an odd and audible crack with each new inch his neck turns.</p><p>With his head to the side, he can see a door just past the hanging bodies. It has a glass window that stares into a dim room.</p><p>He breathes again, sending warm clouds of air upwards before they slowly dissipate.</p><p>God smiles then reaches out and grabs Lucifer's arm. It is cold and stiff. He yanks it, and it snaps loudly.</p><p>"Ow!" Lucifer hisses, tensing his face in pain.</p><p>"Gah, <em>bloody</em> .." he yells before stopping himself from finishing that sentence.</p><p>He grunts, the word folding and melting into his closed mouth.</p><p>Lucifer pulls his arm back, shaking off the pain of being broken. He can feel it again as it begins to heal. It's warm, and the tingles throughout his arm indicate that blood is flowing again. He looks at his hand. His fingers are a dark purple, and the nails are white as snow.</p><p>"I'm going to need to see my manicurist after this," he says.</p><p>God chuckles, and Lucifer turns back to him.</p><p>"Oh, don't gloat old man. I suppose you're here to tell me <em>'I told you so, mortality isn't all that great.</em>'"</p><p>God shakes his head and moves to the other arm.</p><p>"I am only here to help you," God says, "I don't think you'd like to know how long you'd have to wait here until your brother came to check on you. He's down to once a week now."</p><p>"Once a … how long have I been gone?" Lucifer asks as God yanks and snaps the other arm.</p><p>Lucifer jumps and hisses.</p><p>"For about three mortal months," God says.</p><p>Lucifer stares at him, his eyes wide.</p><p>"Three months?!"</p><p>God nods, and let's go of Lucifer's arm.</p><p>Lucifer stares at him, and lets go an - ironically - unamused laughter.</p><p>"How many times am I going to die?" he asks.</p><p>God grabs Lucifer's leg and backs up.</p><p>"I suggest you hold onto the table," he says.</p><p>Lucifer turns and grabs the corner of the table. God yanks his leg. It snaps and sends warm tingles down his spine and into his leg. Lucifer grimaces and shuts his eyes tight. His toes start to feel warm again, as warm as they could be in this cooler.</p><p>The heat rolls up his leg into his thigh and joins the warm blood circulating at his core.</p><p>"It depends," God says, "the number is different for each path. Sometimes three, sometimes eight.</p><p>Lucifer grunts, "Eight!? Wha .. Why couldn't you just punish me with horrible skin or maybe a smaller penis? You know how many women stare as soon as I take my pants off and hesitate?"</p><p>God laughs and shakes his head.</p><p>"Scratch that," Lucifer says, "If I have to live under your rule, I might as well have a large penis."</p><p>"Dying is the most difficult part," God says, "You aren't fully mortal yet. You have quite a few doors to get through."</p><p>"Well, that explains the tar," he says.</p><p>"Mmm," God nods.</p><p>"So, you <em>are </em>trying to kill me then?" Lucifer says, "Is this some sick game show where my death is the prize at the end?"</p><p>God chuckles and moves to Lucifer's other leg. Lucifer steadies himself on the table, knowing what is coming.</p><p>"You keep suggesting that it is my doing, Lucifer, yet I've already told you I only offer the path."</p><p>"Don't… don't call me that," Lucifer says, not liking the way his name sounds on God's tongue.</p><p>"Is that not your preferred name?" God asks.</p><p>"Well, yes, but it's weird when you say it."</p><p>God chuckles and gets a firm hold on Lucifer's leg. He looks up at Lucifer, and Lucifer nods. God yanks his leg, it cracks before God drops it, and it dangles. A tingle goes through his leg as blood beings to flow again.</p><p>"Amenadiel told me you wanted me dead," Lucifer says.</p><p>God shakes his head, "Amenadiel has always heard what he wants to hear. My interest is not in destroying you. I only told him you would die, not that I wanted it. Sometimes the things we need and the things we want are separate. Like right now, you need rest, but you desire to see Chloe."</p><p>"And yet I'm still here talking to you," Lucifer says as she slides off the table and tests his legs.</p><p>They are a little weak, but they work.</p><p>He slowly shuffles over to the door, where he leans his body weight into it as he turns the handle. The door swings open, and he clings to it. He looks out to see God standing by a table with tools and saws. Next to those, he sees a folded-up set of clothing, shoes, and a few personal effects.</p><p>Lucifer looks around. It's an empty warehouse. It doesn't look like anyone has been here in days.</p><p>Lucifer lets go of the door and slowly shuffles towards the table, allowing the freezer door behind him shut and lock.</p><p>"Have you heard of the Phoenix?" God asks.</p><p>Lucifer looks at him, already annoyed by his presence.</p><p>"The bird born from ash?" God asks.</p><p>Lucifer groans, "I'm aware," he says, reaching out and sliding his jacket and shirt off his pants.</p><p>"To the mortals is represents the warmth of the sun. How each night it dies, and each morning it rises.'</p><p>Lucifer slips his legs carefully into his pants. Temporarily getting off balance.</p><p>God watches him stumbling like a toddler. He smiles.</p><p>"In their mythos, it is a long-lived bird that regenerates through cycles of life and death. Dying in a dramatic blaze of fire only to be reborn from its own ashes."</p><p>Lucifer zips up his pants and glances at God.</p><p>"Riveting. Have you ever considered narrating a documentary?" he says, uninterested.</p><p>He reaches for his shirt.</p><p>"Don't tell me you are going to regale me with this tale each time I die from now on," Lucifer says, displeased.</p><p>Lucifer pauses and looks at God, his eyes narrowing.</p><p>"Speaking of, why <em>are </em>you here?" he asks, "I'm certain you could have just summoned Amenadiel to do your bidding."</p><p>"You don't want me here?" God says, his tone surprised.</p><p>Lucifer scoffs.</p><p>"Father, you've spent the last ninety-five percent of my life ignoring me, and suddenly it seems as though I can't get rid of you," Lucifer says, turning back to his shirt and slipping it over his arms.</p><p>God laughs, "I didn't ignore you. You ignored me."</p><p>"How convenient to blame your absence on me," Lucifer says, starting to button his shirt.</p><p>God furrows his eyebrows, "Many times I tried to reach out to you, and I was often ignored. I may not have been there in person, but I have<em> always</em> been there Lucifer."</p><p>"Ugh," Lucifer says, smacking his lips, not liking the taste in his mouth.</p><p>He needed a new name.</p><p>"Was I not there for you when it mattered?" God continues, "when you needed me? When Chloe –"</p><p>"Don't," Lucifer says, cutting him off, "don't bring her into this."</p><p>He tucks his shirt into his pants quickly. Not even taking care to make sure it doesn't crease.</p><p>"Oh," God says, laughing, "I can't bring her into something she is already a part of, Lucifer."</p><p>Lucifer reaches out to pick up the cufflinks on the table and starts to put them in. He rushes through each step of his normally methodical dressing routine.</p><p>"In a rush?" God says, noticing the care that Lucifer usually takes gone out the window.</p><p>Lucifer grabs his jacket and tosses it on over his shirt haphazardly before grabbing his phone and checking the time. It doesn't respond.</p><p>It's dead.</p><p>He slides it into his pocket and grabs his shoes before turning to leave.</p><p>"Unlike some of us," Lucifer says, looking at God, "I have things to do. I'm sure you have some locusts to brew, or maybe you'd like to try your hand and infanticide again, hmm?"</p><p>God smiles and shakes his head, "Your obsession with me as a murderer is troubling. Though, I must admit I am here on a vacation of sorts. I've been finding it more enjoyable to get away lately. Michael is so …"</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, "A Daddy's boy."</p><p>God chuckles.</p><p>"He is worried," God says, staring out into nothingness, "About the final war. He's been spending all his time in the barracks training the angels. And the time he doesn't spend there is with me, trying to prod me for information like one would milk a cow."</p><p>Lucifer laughs loudly, and God turns to him.</p><p>"So, you're hiding from him?" Lucifer says.</p><p>God nods and smiles.</p><p>"He is as I made him. <em>Persistent</em>."</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, amused, before turning to the table to make sure he has everything.</p><p>"Well, as usual, it was a displeasure speaking with you," Lucifer says.</p><p>"I hope that I don't have to see you again," Lucifer says as he turns to leave.</p><p>God furrows his eyebrows.</p><p>"You gave me your word," God says.</p><p>Lucifer stops in his tracks.</p><p>"You told me you would do as I asked in exchange for her life."</p><p>"and I did as you asked. Did I not?" Lucifer says, turning around, "Did I not take care of mother?"</p><p>God shakes his head, "I did not ask you for that, you only assumed."</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, aghast.</p><p>He shakes his head.</p><p>"And at what point did you find it pertinent to tell me of my error? Was that before or After I did things in your name."</p><p>God shakes his head, "I am all-knowing, Lucifer. Even if I tried to communicate with you, you would have ignored me. Even as you assumed it was your task to, as you so eloquently put it, '<em>take care' </em>of your mother, you only did so under the idea that you were going against my will."</p><p>God walks forward, his head tilted as if still not understanding why Lucifer doesn't get it. That things happen as he allows.</p><p>"Did you truly think Azrael's blade ended in your possession for no reason? That Azrael would willingly allow her blade to be ... <em>misplaced</em>?"</p><p>Lucifer stares at God, his eyes combing his memory as if remembering how ... easy it had all been. Too easy.</p><p>"Or perhaps that Uriel was meant to live?" God continues, "That my wife was meant to be locked in hell again, caged like so many others."</p><p>Lucifer stares at him. His eyes narrow.</p><p>"You knew," he says.</p><p>God knew all, so he must have known. He must have known and <em>planned</em> for it.</p><p>"You knew I would kill Uriel and did nothing to stop me," Lucifer says, his eyes wide in horror.</p><p>"Of course I knew," God says, "I always know. I believe that is the definition of all-knowing. But, again, I only offer the path, Lucifer."</p><p>Lucifer approaches God slowly, rage building, and crawling like fire up his spine.</p><p>"Uriel was to help me find the patterns," God says, "to connect the dots and paths in the early days. When there were too many. Too many possibilities. But … I made him too perfect, and the more paths that disappeared ..."</p><p>Lucifer pauses.</p><p>"He figured out your plan," Lucifer says.</p><p>God nods, "He was close. Too close."</p><p>Lucifer steps back. He knew God was crazy, but this … this was too much. He shakes his head, too enraged, too … confused to speak with him anymore. He couldn't imagine allowing one son to kill another.</p><p>"He was a smart boy, and that smart boy turned into an even smarter man. He did everything as I asked him, but … existence to him was just as it is to me. It is a constant observation of the shifting elements. He didn't care to fly as the others did. Or laugh, or play. He only sat, watched, connected the dots."</p><p>God shakes his head, remorseful, "That is no life to live."</p><p>"You're…. you're…," Lucifer says, turning to leave, "I'm done with you. Don't <em>ever</em> speak to me again," he says.</p><p>"What about your task?" God says, "Do you not care to keep your promise?"</p><p>"He was my brother!" Lucifer screams, turning to God.</p><p>A bright blue flame burns in his eyes. But it flickers, it isn't always blue. It burns but wavers as if the wind were blowing it out for a few seconds.</p><p>"and he was my child," God says as if to place importance on the fact that Lucifer was not the only one who had a connection to Uriel.</p><p>"You must know what that is like," God says, "to watch those you love fade as you go on. It is the price we must pay. That we sacrifice ourselves so that the world may move on."</p><p>Lucifer shakes his head.</p><p>"But you don't sacrifice yourself, do you? You sacrifice everyone else in your name."</p><p>God nods to himself, "and that is a ...fair critique. However, false it might be."</p><p>Lucifer scoffs and shakes his head, "You know why I despise you?" he asks.</p><p>God nods, "Of course I do."</p><p>"Because you're a <em>bloody</em> hypocrite. Because you claim to be all-knowing and all-powerful, yet you would willingly allow your own son to die. That you would damn me with the knowledge ... "</p><p>Lucifer pauses, hurt pulling up from his throat.</p><p>He swallows it.</p><p>"That you would force me to choose. Between the detective and my own brother. <em>My brother</em>!"</p><p>God just stares, watching, "and who did you choose?"</p><p>Lucifer scoffs.</p><p>"You say you only offer the path, father, but you continuously neglect to mention you have the power to <em>alter</em> the path. Because if you admitted that, you would also have to admit that you <em>chose</em> to have your son die. That you <em>chose</em> to damn one-third of your children to hell. That you <em>choose </em>to have every horrible thing that has ever happened, happen. For what? Your own amusement? Or are you just that damn egotistical and narcissistic that no life but your own matters?"</p><p>God shakes his head, "It isn't that simple, Lucifer."</p><p>"Stop calling me that!" he yells, having long since lost his amusement in this conversation.</p><p>God approaches him, a seriousness behind his eyes.</p><p>"You still have your pride and ego. It will kill everyone you love if you do not let it go," God says.</p><p>"Well, I guess the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree, now does it?" he says.</p><p>Lucifer drops his shoes on the floor and slips his feet into them.</p><p>"I say this because I love you and have always loved you despite your<em> feelings</em>," God says, approaching Lucifer.</p><p>Lucifer looks up at him, a bright blue flame in his eyes.</p><p>"<em>Fuck.</em> You," he says.</p><p>God's eyes swirl, the starry sky in his eyes giving way to a storm of gasses and stars that collapse into a singular pinpoint in his eyes. It is like watching another galaxy form, but instead of stardust, it only spits out light.</p><p>A light that melts away the anger, frustration, and offense in Lucifer's eyes and replaces it only with longing and promise.</p><p>The promise of feeling safe and loved and … <em>whole</em>.</p><p>"When you come to the final door, you will die your final mortal death," God says.</p><p>"There will be many who will try to save you. To sacrifice their life for your own. If you are still prideful and full of your own ego and only care about what <em>you</em> desire … you will kill them. Do you believe you can live with that guilt?"</p><p>The storm calms in God's eyes, and Lucifer is suddenly left feeling cold. He is unsure if it is residuals from being in the cooler, but nevertheless, a shiver runs up his spine. He is too aware of how … <em>incomplete</em>, he feels.</p><p>He swallows his spit and clears his throat.</p><p>"This process will be painful, I do not doubt that, "God says, "Physically and emotionally, and despite your insistence, I cannot change what will happen now. Your path is locked."</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, the rage he felt prior belittled to only disgust.</p><p>"What good is power when you dare not use it?" Lucifer asks.</p><p>God smiles as if that were the answer he had wanted this whole time.</p><p>"That," he says pleased, "is the question, is it not?"</p><p>The phone in his pants vibrates, and Lucifer turns his head down to his hands. He pulls out a cell phone and taps the home screen.</p><p>Fully charged.</p><p>"Did you-" he begins as he looks up and is faced only with an empty room.</p><p>He furrows his eyebrows and scoffs.</p><p>"Good riddance," he says.</p><p>He presses the home button to find 188 new text messages from Chloe.</p><p>He tilts his head, the annoyance falling from his eyes, and opens them.</p><p>"I miss you," the last one says.</p><p>And before that, "I wish you were here," it says.</p><p>And before that one still, "I just want you to hold me," it says.</p><p>His eyes tear up as he reads backlogged text messages. All of them sad, some sexual, but most of them expressing a growing desire to see him. She misses him. He smiles and clicks out of the text message before wiping his eyes and dialing a number.</p><p>He clears his throat.</p><p>Before he could see her, though, he had some business to attend to.</p><p>The phone rings before it clicks.</p><p>"Luci?" Amenadiel asks.</p><p>"Another freezer, brother? Are you <em>trying</em> to neuter me?" Lucifer asks, turning his head to the phone" It feels like I have a block of ice between my legs."</p><p>----------</p><p>Down a central path, and surrounded by six guards, Ezria and Calmos walk side by side.</p><p>Ezria, his wings folded on his back and on full display, walks with his head held high. He is dressed in a white and silver robe, the one he took from Lucifer's penthouse. The one that reminds him of his station, where he came from. Even in the muggy heat of Hell it smells of fresh linens and honeysuckles.</p><p>Next to him, and a far cry from prideful, Calmos walks cautiously with his head on a swivel.</p><p>This reminds him of war.</p><p>He had never been a part of one, but he's heard many stories of death and mutiny.</p><p>Of demons fighting to carve out ownership of Hell.</p><p>Of life before Lucifer.</p><p>Together, they walk forward, facing glares from bladeless demons. Ezria seems unbothered, but Calmos feels the eyes on him, blaming him.</p><p>Ezria turns to Calmos, noticing his stance seems less than authoritative. He takes a glance around and sees what Calmos sees.</p><p>"You are no longer the water boy," Ezria says, turning to face where they are walking.</p><p>He speaks as he walks, his back straight and his shoulders square. He doesn't have to put on a front, he truly believes he is better than.</p><p>"You are my sentinel. You are above them," he says</p><p>He turns to Calmos, and they catch eyes.</p><p>"Act like it."</p><p>Calmos nods and straightens his back, standing taller. He didn't need Ezria's darkness to bleed through. He knows what happens when Ezria's darkness bleeds through.</p><p>They continue walking forward, and Calmos stares straight ahead, ignoring the soft whispers of demons as they walk by.</p><p>Soon they come to the blacksmith. The door is barricaded, and the holes where windows might have been are boarded up.</p><p>In front of the door, on the raised porch where tools and a metal grinder used to sit, stand eight demons. They are tall, and their forms are only as imposing as the long, etched, and jagged blades they hold.</p><p>In front of them, at the helm of this ship, stands Atmos.</p><p>Atmos sees the guards approach. His eyes move to Ezria then down to Calmos. He stares at Calmos before a wide smile comes to his face, and he shakes his head.</p><p>"<em>You</em>," he says, blame and astonishment in his tone, "<em>You're</em> the reason the angel is banning my blades?"</p><p>Atmos starts to laugh, and Calmos furrows his eyebrows. Ezria turns to Atmos and is about to say something, but Calmos holds his hand out, silencing Ezria.</p><p>Ezria cranes back, slightly offended but also <em>slightly</em> turned on.</p><p>Calmos peels through the guards and stands in front of Atmos.</p><p>"So what? You told him you wanted peace on earth or something? This is Hell!"</p><p>"Your King has given you an order," Calmos says flatly, "who are you to defy him?"</p><p>Calmos look around at the demons standing nearby, "Who are any of us to defy an Angel?"</p><p>"He is not my King, and I will <em>not</em> be swayed by the likes of you." Atmos says, "Who am I to defy? Who are <em>you</em>?"</p><p>Atmos turns and addresses the demons watching.</p><p>"In fact, perhaps it's time we all know who you <em>really</em> are. Perhaps we should all know why you are so strange. Why you carry around human instruments and refuse the sweat pits."</p><p>Calmos stares at him.</p><p>He wouldn't. Would he?</p><p>Atmos turns to him, and his unamused smile turns into an amused smile when he sees the look on Calmos' face.</p><p>"Oh," Atmos says, "so you know?"</p><p>Calmos squints his eyes.</p><p>"The Angel has given an order," Calmos says again, his tone decidedly <em>less</em> accommodating.</p><p>"I laid with a human," Atmos roars, staring into Calmos' eyes.</p><p>He turns to the crowd, "as a crossroads deal. The woman didn't hold up her end of the bargain, and, as a result of our union, she gave birth to a halfling. A demon halfling."</p><p>Calmos watches as demons turn to him, gazing over him like they are watching an animal in a zoo. They turn to each other and whisper.</p><p>"I brought that halfling here, to be my assistant and service me as a halfling should and look at what he has done," Atmos says, turning back to Calmos, "He's gone and aligned himself with an Angel. An angel who now proclaims to be King."</p><p>Atmos laughs a disgusted laugh as Calmos visibly starts to shrink again.</p><p>"What did he do to you, boy?" Atmos asks, "Did he promise you life on earth? Did he listen to your wants and dreams?"</p><p>Calmos tenses his jaw. Atmos narrows his eyes before a large grin comes over his face.</p><p>"Did he take your virgin ass?" Atmos says.</p><p>Calmos' eyes widen. Ezria, on the other hand, furrows his eyebrows.</p><p>What?</p><p>Calmos opens his mouth to say something, but only odd vocalizations come out.</p><p>"Ah - I- Yo-" he stutters.</p><p>"He has, hasn't he?!" Atmos says.</p><p>Calmos' face turns a hue of red that is a mixture of embarrassment and rage.</p><p>Ezria steps forward, "Enough. You are laughing in the face of my sentinel," he says.</p><p>"Sentinel?!" Atmos yells, the pitch in his voice highly amused.</p><p>He holds onto his stomach, laughing hard at the idea.</p><p>Calmos turns his eyes slowly up to Ezria, afraid to meet them. Afraid of what he might find.</p><p>He is not at all surprised to see that the ink has settled into Ezria's eyes like sand at the bottom of a placid lake.</p><p>"Oh, Lucifer take us," Atmos says as his laughter dies down, "You chose a <em>halfling</em> as your sentinel? I thought Angels were supposed to be intelligent?"</p><p>Ezria steps forward, and Calmos turns to him, holding a handout across his body to keep him from moving closer to Atmos. Ezria turns his head to Calmos, the darkness in his eyes. He wants to hurt Atmos. He wants to kill him as he did that demon in the cave.</p><p>Calmos sees it, sees the rage looking for something to sink its teeth into. He understands it. It wants blood, and pain, and death and every negative thing that could be associated with someone who had spent an eternity locked in his own mind.</p><p>If he didn't do something, Ezria would, and he knows how far he is willing to go.</p><p>How far Ezria <em>wants</em> to go.</p><p>How lost he would become in that need.</p><p>"Calmos can't be a sentinel. He is weak. This whole thing is a coup, a mutiny against Lucifer's role as King," Atmos says, addressing the audience and trying to get them on his side.</p><p>"Who among you has the guts to stand up to Lucifer on his return? To tell him why you did not <em>fight</em> for his kingdom?" Atmos says.</p><p>Atmos turns back to Ezria, then to Calmos.</p><p>"The Angel's rule is as false as his attempt at making a halfling into a man!"</p><p>The crowd starts to whisper, and a few of them raise their fists into the air and scream, "yeah!"</p><p>Calmos' lip twitches and his jaw clenches. He grips the handle of his blade tightly as he turns his eyes up to Atmos.</p><p>"You will do as you are told!" Calmos yells, his voice loud and authoritative.</p><p>It gives Atmos pause before a wide grin comes over his face. Calmos slowly approaches him.</p><p>"What makes you think I would ever listen to you?" Atmos asks.</p><p>Calmos stares at Atmos, as if searching for something. Whatever it is, he doesn't find it, and he shakes his head, "You never loved me, did you?" he asks.</p><p>Atmos laughs, and so do the demons behind him.</p><p>"Love?!" he asks, amused.</p><p>Calmos turns to see other demons chuckling at the idea.</p><p>"Love?!" Atmos says again, this time louder, "This is Hell! We are here because <em>no one</em> loves us."</p><p>Calmos shakes his head and steps forward, "That's not true. I … I love you."</p><p>Atmos raises his lip in disgust, before turning, grabbing a nearby dirty bucket of water and tossing it onto Calmos. It drenches his clothing, the metal filings inside turning black and staining his clothing.</p><p>"Don't <em>ever </em>say that to me again," he says, "You are weak. You are a mark on my bloodline."</p><p>Calmos wipes the water from his face, taking those words in. Taking in the humiliation, the grief, the shame. Slowly, it begins to fester in him.</p><p>"We will fight against the false king!" Atmos says, raising his fist in the air.</p><p>"We will fight for what is rightfully ours! What we have <em>earned</em>!"</p><p>The crowd chants as the guards look at each other, unsure if they are on the right side now.</p><p>Calmos stares, the rage in his heart slowly overwhelming him until it colors his eyes. He tightens his lip and lurches forward, his blade at the ready. The guards take note of his movement and move forward too.</p><p>Calmos raises the blade and strikes downward, attempting to sink it into Atmos's shoulder.</p><p>Atmos grabs Calmos' hand just inches from his flesh, and here, their strength balances out until the dagger just hovers – shaking – above him. Atmos laughs, as if finding joy in the struggle. Behind him, the demons are tussling with the guards as onlookers cheer for the rebellion.</p><p>"You'll never be a strong as me," Atmos says, "you are impure and have not yet faced the sweltering heat to burn it out. Face it. Let that sit with you. Let it be the last thought that ever goes through your halfling mind."</p><p>Calmos tries to push the knife deeper, but Atmos is too strong. Atmos laughs again. Calmos reaches for his other knife and raises it up to stab Atmos, but Atmos grabs his other hand and raises it above his head.</p><p>"I should have left you to burn in the coals," Atmos says.</p><p>That hits Calmos hard, and he becomes absorbed in <em>utter</em> hatred. Any hesitation he had left, any attempt to appease his father and talk sense into him goes out the window. He no longer wants to aim to maim, to subdue. He wants to kill him.</p><p>He wants Atmos dead.</p><p>He wants blood.</p><p>He yells a deep and painful wail, backed by tears, before kicking his knee up and pushing Atmos away. The shove is hard and sends Atmos flying back and hitting the front wall of the blacksmith shop.</p><p>He lands against a boarded window, and the board snaps in half on impact.</p><p>Calmos spins the knives in his hands to get a good grip before he approaches, his eyes covered in the desire for blood. His demon side is taking over, and it is<em> strong</em>. The silver in his eyes shine through and are filled with such strong want and desire.</p><p>Atmos looks up, and even he is shocked by the display of strength. He starts to push himself off the wall, but by then it is too late. Calmos reaches forward in one hard upwards motion. Atmos feels pressure deep inside his chest, followed by the slicing pain of bone and tendons. Then, a heat, a <em>crushing </em>heat crawling from his center.</p><p>He glances down and finds Calmos' hand buried deep within him. So deep the blade isn't visible anymore.</p><p>He looks up to meet Calmos' dead, silver eyes.</p><p>"I. <em>hate.</em> you," Calmos says between gritted teeth.</p><p>It is raw and gruff and filled with so much truth. There is conviction and <em>zero</em> remorse. Atmos looks into Calmos' eyes to find what stares back at him matches his words so closely that, for a moment, a strong wave of pride falls over him.</p><p>
  <em>Strong blood.</em>
</p><p>Even as a halfling, his blood is strong.</p><p>Atmos smiles, even as the fire starts to crawl up the veins in his forehead.</p><p>"Strong blood," he says, his words fill with so much pride that for a moment Calmos mistakes it as love.</p><p>The hatred fades slightly in his eyes, and he turns to look down at his hand.</p><p>He hadn't even noticed that the place where his blade was is now a festering pool of molten flesh and fire.</p><p>It burns him.</p><p>He yanks his hand away, letting go of the blade as Atmos drops to his knees on the floor.</p><p>Atmos instinctively covers the molten pit in his gut and starts to laugh to himself. It is a pained laugh, but a laugh nonetheless.</p><p>He looks up to Calmos, the fire crawling into his eyes.</p><p>"You couldn't even finish the job," he says seconds before he bursts into a thousand embers that fall to the ground and cool to ash.</p><p>Calmos stands there, searing pain on his hand. He stares at the pile of ash in front of him, a numbness climbing over his body. Even through the clang of metal blades meeting swords and the roar of nearby demons cheering for rebellion, it is silent.</p><p>Still.</p><p>There is a peace here that is hard to enumerate. It is both hopeful as it is devastating.</p><p>
  <em>What has he done?</em>
</p><p>He turns slowly as if any sudden movement would break him like a delicate vase. His hands shake, both from the pain of the burn and the pain of what he had just done.</p><p>He killed his father.</p><p>Atmos was gone. Sent to the void.</p><p>Calmos had sent him there.</p><p>Calmos catches Ezria's glance, his eyes covered in the doing nothing to hide the turmoil brewing in his chest. Ezria hisses, understanding that look. He had grown accustomed to the strange feelings of Calmos, but this was something he didn't want to understand.</p><p>Ezria looks at his guards, who have finally controlled the other demons guarding the blacksmith. Some demons were sent to the void while others cower, not prepared to die.</p><p>Ezria turns to the crowd who watches, unsure of what to do now.</p><p>He raises his head and spreads his wings to full span so that the light from nearby fires reflects off his blades.</p><p>"A new rule has dawned," he says, his voice loud and booming, the demons who were once cheering now are silent, cautious, unsure.</p><p>"Gone are the days of you deciding who lives and who dies," he says, turning to see Calmos bending down and slowly reaching into the pile of ash in front of him to pull out his blade.</p><p>"Gone are the days of you walking freely as if hell is your domain, playing God," he says, turning back to the crowd.</p><p>"Let there be no mistake. This is my domain and mine alone. From now on, I decide who lives and who dies. I decide who comes and who goes. Here, I am God," he says again, turning back to Calmos, double-checking to make sure he is okay.</p><p>Calmos looks at his blade, then down into the pile of ash that used to be his father. He pauses before reaching back in and pulling out another blade, it belongs ...</p><p>It <em>belonged</em> to Atmos.</p><p>Ezria sighs and turns back to the crowd. The demons stare at Ezria, some fearful, some hopeful but all unsure.</p><p>"Lucifer is dead," he says, eliciting gasps and murmurs from the crowd, "I am your new King. It is my word you shall follow, and I will not respond kindly to those who disobey."</p><p>He turns to the guards. They watch him, and Ezria narrows his eyes before turning to the demons who surrendered.</p><p>"Kill them," Ezria says.</p><p>The surrendered demons shake their head and look up at the guards, pleading. The guards do as they are told and sink their swords into the soft flesh of each demon's belly.</p><p>"The one you call Calmos. He is a halfling, but he is also my sentinel. He is not weak, and he is not to be made a fool," Ezria says.</p><p>Behind him, fire crawls up the demons' neck as, one by one, they burst into embers. The guards pull their swords back, not even concerned about cleaning their blades.</p><p>"Anyone who defies him, defies me," Ezria continues, "Anyone who harms him, harms me. He is an extension of me as I, him."</p><p>Calmos turns and moves to stand by Ezria, his eyes in a place of his own but still very aware of where he is.</p><p>Ezria turns to him, and they meet eyes. Ezria stands pulls his back to stand up straighter, and Calmos nods before standing up straight himself. Ezria turns back to the crowd.</p><p>"You will give up your blades. You will continue with your chores, and all among you who want to fight will become part of my legion."</p><p>Behind him, guards start to tear down the barricade to get into the blacksmith.</p><p>Ezria turns back to the crowd to see them standing there, looking at each other, still unsure.</p><p>"I will not repeat myself," Ezria says, his eyes narrowing.</p><p>Slowly the crowd begins to disperse, going back to their chores. A few demons seem unhappy but still leave – albeit reluctantly.</p><p>Ezria turns to Calmos. Calmos stares blankly ahead. They stand there for a moment, the shuffling of people leaving and guards breaking into the blacksmith behind them.</p><p>"Come," he says, "we will adjourn to-"</p><p>"I think I'd like to be alone, My King," Calmos says.</p><p>He turns his eyes up to Ezria. Ezria notices shocked emptiness behind Calmos' eyes.</p><p>Ezria reluctantly nods and waves over a guard, "I will have them escort you to-"</p><p>"No," Calmos says, shaking his head, "I know my own way."</p><p>Ezria takes a deep breath, unsure if he likes being told no, but the look in Calmos eyes throws away the offense and indignation and replaces it with …pity.</p><p>Ezria nods reluctantly and watches as Calmos moves forward with his head low. He disappears into an alleyway, and Ezria sighs. He turns back to the guards who all wait on orders.</p><p>"Continue," he says, nodding.</p><p>They nod in confirmation just as the last bundle of rogue blades is pulled from the blacksmith.</p><p>The bundle is tossed onto the back of the cart in a giant satchel.</p><p>"Next!" the guard at the front says.</p><p>The driver of the cart whips his reigns, sending the cart lurching forward again.</p><p>-------</p><p>It is bright and sunny at the estate in the hills. The birds are chirping, and the crystal-clear fountain in the center of a wraparound driveway perfectly hits the light to make a natural rainbow. The sun is shining, the weather is warm - but not too warm - and a gentle breeze periodically flows through, rustling nearby flowers and sending the sweet scent of newly bloomed roses into the air.</p><p>By all appearances, it is the <em>perfect</em> day for a wedding.</p><p>In a long wrap around driveway, cars pull up one by one as men and women dressed in nice, but not too nice, attire exit and hand their keys to men in red vests.</p><p>Behind a big black SUV, a sensible slate-grey sedan pulls up. The driver's door opens, and Natalie steps out, dressed in a fitted and short-sleeved blue dress that clings to<em> everything</em>.</p><p>Around her waist is a metallic silver belt, and her hair is pulled back into a neat French braid. Despite the naturally curly nature of her hair, it looks somewhat tame inside her braid.</p><p>On the other side of her car, the passenger door opens, and Maze steps out. She is <em>kind of</em> dressed for a wedding but in her own way. She wears a sheer and flowy, long-sleeved black top with a leather bustier beneath it. The top is tucked into a pair of leather pants that clings to her skin until it hits her mid-calf.</p><p>Here it gives room for the latticed black straps of her closed-toe heels. She steps out and shuts the door. Her hair is pulled back into a tight, slick ponytail. In her ears are two long and silver half-hoops that curve like daggers towards the back of her head. She looks exceptionally pleased with herself but displeased with where they are.</p><p>To her, all this pomp and circumstance for a lifetime sentence of monogamy seems silly, especially with a known cheater.</p><p>It makes the occasion seem so…<em>futile</em>.</p><p>Natalie hands her car keys to the valet before walking around the car, her bright red clutch in her hands.</p><p>Maze waits for her, watching as other people from the cars behind her get out. Each car has at least two people, sometimes three.</p><p>Natalie approaches Maze and Maze turns to her.</p><p>"Aren't you glad you didn't come alone?" she asks.</p><p>Natalie sighs. She turns and looks at the people walking up the sidewalk behind her, then turns her head to the people walking up the large and stately staircase to the main house.</p><p>"Let's go over the plan again, okay?" she says, turning her eyes back to Maze.</p><p>Maze rolls her eyes.</p><p>"We sit through the vows, eat-"</p><p>"and drink, don't forget the free drinks," Maze says.</p><p>"Right, we enjoy ourselves for at least forty-five minutes at the reception, and then we make up something about having to work or -,"</p><p>"Go back to your place and have crazy sex?" Maze says.</p><p>Natalie narrows her eyes.</p><p>"Ms. Smith," she says, her tone stern.</p><p>Maze shrugs.</p><p>"Just thought you'd want them to be thinking about us when they drink their champagne and eat their stupid salmon," Maze says.</p><p>Natalie shakes her head, "I don't want them to think about <em>anything</em>. Least of all me. I want to get through this and go back to my life."</p><p>Life without Liz, or Mistress.</p><p>Something new.</p><p>Something she can begin to call her own again.</p><p>Before her world had become more complicated.</p><p>"If we're not here to make them jealous, then why are we even here?" Maze asks</p><p>Natalie shakes her head, "I don't know. Closure?" she says, shrugging.</p><p>"Because I can't live my life letting them think they got the best of me? Because I don't want my own shit to ruin someone else's day, even if it should? The list goes on Ms. Smith, please let me know when you grow tired of explanations."</p><p>"So, this isn't about still being in love with Liz?" Maze asks.</p><p>Natalie scoffs, "Love? No. There is <em>definitely</em> love lost between us. I just …"</p><p>She pauses, her mind going into the depths of itself. She shakes her thought processes off and turns to Maze, putting on a fake smile.</p><p>"Let's just get this over with," she says.</p><p>Maze shrugs, clearly not into the plan.</p><p>"Fine, so long as we are clear that I<em> am</em> drinking for free," she says.</p><p>Natalie rolls her eyes. She turns, and they both begin to walk up the steps towards two white French doors.</p><p>When they enter the foyer through the French doors, their eyes are drawn upward to a crystal chandelier that sits in the center of two large and curved staircases. The stairs are wide and meet at the top landing, where a small ledge allows sight of the front door.</p><p>"I don't like her," Maze says, "but I will say she has good taste. This is better than a stupid church."</p><p>"Most places are," Natalie says, turning her eyes down to the walkway between the steps that leads to a large sitting room.</p><p>The wall behind it is covered from ceiling to floor with wide windows that give an excellent view of the impeccably kept back garden where chairs are set up in preparation for the ceremony.</p><p>Natalie lets go of a heavy sigh, and Maze turns to her. Her eyebrows furrow.</p><p>"We don't have to do this, you know?" Maze says.</p><p>Natalie turns to her head to Maze and doesn't say anything. They look at each other for a moment before Natalie turns and begins to walk forward.</p><p>"Let's get our seat," she says, walking forward before turning around, "Besides, free drinks remember? You don't want to leave here dry."</p><p>She turns around and continues forward into the sitting room.</p><p>Maze watches her as she walks away, her eyes cascading down the dress that clings to everything.</p><p>
  <em>Everything.</em>
</p><p>Maze tilts her head.</p><p>"Too late for that," she whispers beneath her breath as she watches Natalie walk away.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>---------</strong>
</p><p>In a supermarket near her home, Ella is walking down the dry goods aisle when she pauses and turns to a small container of couscous. She looks at it for a moment, comparing it to the box next to it before nodding, grabbing it and putting it in her cart. She turns and looks at the list in the child seat of her shopping cart.</p><p>“Couscous, check,” she says, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a pen.</p><p>She marks it off and looks at the next item.</p><p>“Tomato sauce,” she says to herself before looking up and pushing the shopping cart forward.</p><p>She reaches the end of the aisle, turns, and walks two aisles to the canned foods aisle. She turns down the aisle and sees the rows of tomato sauce near its center.</p><p>The aisle is somewhat busy, but not enough that she can’t maneuver her way around. When she reaches the section she wants, she sets her cart aside and approaches. She looks at the various jars and cans of tomato sauces and pastes.</p><p>Her eyes move back and forth between the various flavors.</p><p>She hums to herself, trying to find the best flavor. When she finds the one she wants, a delicious basil and tomato sauce, she grabs a jar and goes back to her cart. She checks off her tomato sauce and looks at the next item.</p><p>Black beans.</p><p>She nods and looks up, down the aisle further to the canned vegetables. There, a man with short, almost buzzed cut hair, stands with two cans of vegetables. He glances back and forth between the two as if deciding.</p><p>She approaches the section and quickly finds her black beans before turning and eyeing the man looking at the two cans. She pauses, and her brief moment of positive interaction with a stranger turns into something else.</p><p>Recognition.</p><p>She furrows her eyebrows.</p><p>“Eric?” she asks.</p><p>The man pauses, a look of shock falling over his eyes. Slowly, he turns his eyes to the woman next to him.</p><p>“Ms. Lopez,” Abel says, holding the cans of green beans in his hands.</p><p>“You … you cut your hair,’ Ella says in shock as her eyes move down to see a white square on his collar.</p><p>Her eyes raise further, “and you’re a priest? <em>What the fuck</em>?” she asks before realizing she is talking to a man with a collar.</p><p>“Sorry! I … sorry,” she says.</p><p>He looks down at his collar then back to her and nods with nervous laughter.</p><p>“I … I suppose you have many questions.”</p><p>“Is that why you just up and left without …without even saying goodbye? To become a <em>priest</em>?”</p><p>He shakes his head then looks at the canned green beans in his hands. He places them back on the shelf, no longer interested in deciding the difference between French cut and regular cut.</p><p>“No, I …there is a lot to explain and-“</p><p>She shakes her head, “I’m not trying to put you on the spot, I don’t need an explanation,” she says.</p><p>“No, you do,” he says genuinely, “You deserve to know.”</p><p>She shrugs and looks at him, waiting for him to speak, “Okay.”</p><p><em>Well, that was easy,</em> Abel thinks. He is not sure whether he should take that as a good or bad sign.</p><p>He sighs and turns to see the aisle is suddenly empty.</p><p>How … <em>fortuitous.</em></p><p>He turns back to her.</p><p>“I … I didn’t leave,” Abel says, “I was taken. I was … <em>removed</em>.”</p><p>“You got fired?” she asks, furrowing her eyebrows, “you could have just –“</p><p>“No, I mean… I..”</p><p>He inhales, trying to figure out how to explain it in a way she would understand.</p><p>“I …,” he says again, looking into her eyes as she waits.</p><p>“I … don’t want to lie to you,” he says sadly.</p><p>She shakes her head, “Then don’t. I’m a big girl,” she says, crossing her arms, the can of black beans in her hands, “I can handle it.”</p><p>He nods and exhales, his shoulders dropping.</p><p>“I … played with fire and got burned,” he says, looking at her.</p><p>She still doesn’t understand what he is talking about.</p><p>“I … I lied to you, well ... to be fair, I lied to everyone. I had a goal, and my only interest was achieving that goal. I didn’t care who got hurt along the way. At least until you made me eat street meat.”</p><p>She looks at him, shaking her head, “Okay…” she says, still waiting for an explanation.</p><p>A man walks down the aisle, and Abel turns to him. He watches him walk away, and Ella notices his caution. When the man is a good distance away, he turns back to Ella.</p><p>“My name Is not Eric,” he says, “It’s Abel.”</p><p>Ella’s eyebrows rise.</p><p>“As in … Cain and Abel? As in, My father’s name was Adam, and my mother’s name was Eve,” he says.</p><p>Ella doesn’t say anything, she just stands there, staring at him.</p><p>Abel sighs, “My brother was your previous Lieutenant. I believe you called him Peirce. He had been damned, by God, to walk the earth for murdering me. He came to your precinct specifically because he had become aware of Lucifer’s vulnerability to Chloe and thought he might use that to his advantage. Namely, breaking his curse of immortality and finally dying.”</p><p>“Peirce is ...,” Ella says, her voice shaky before correcting herself, “Cain … Cain is dead,” She says.</p><p>Abel nods, pleased, “So you believe me?” he asks.</p><p>She just stares forward.</p><p>“Somehow, I thought that would be the hardest part. You just tell someone you were the third human to ever exist and that you have been resurrected twice, and they just … look at you like you’re crazy. Trust me, I know.”</p><p>She continues to stare, her eyes blinking as she takes that in.</p><p>Abel inhales deeply then exhales, his story not finished.</p><p>“That is how I was born again. As punishment for defying God’s will, I was brought back to punish Lucifer. The only problem is I kind of … <em>inadvertently </em>caused damnation to the city and maybe almost killed Detective Decker in the process.”</p><p>Ella raises her eyebrows again, “That was you?! <em>You</em> got Chloe possessed?”</p><p>Abel nods, clearly not proud of that, “Yes I …. Yes,” he says.</p><p>Ella steps back from him, reeling from this information. She had learned small tidbits of this, but after Chloe’s possession, they hadn’t talked much about everything.</p><p>She was so occupied with having the answers to her celestial questions that she didn’t even question the events that had caused Lucifer to reveal himself to her.</p><p>Abel sighs, his head lowered in shame.</p><p>“Long story made short, I was …<em>taken </em>from this world. Split into pieces across the universe. In his anger Lucifer … he destroyed me.”</p><p>“So that’s why you never responded to my text messages,” she says, putting it all together in her mind.</p><p>He nods.</p><p>“You don’t really get great reception when you exist and don’t exist at the same time,” he says with a small chuckle, trying to lighten the conversation.</p><p>She just stares at him, running every interaction she had had until now back through her mind.</p><p>“To be clear,” he says, regret in his eyes, “If I had known I would be leaving, I would have said goodbye to you.”</p><p>She stares at him, her eyes wide, this information a little too much.</p><p>She had learned Lucifer was the devil, and that was hard, but at least it had reinvigorated her faith. That God was real. That love existed. That redemption was possible.</p><p>This though?</p><p>How could she resolve having feelings, even small feelings, for <em>the</em> Abel?</p><p>This was more than cradle robbing.</p><p>This was some sort of celestial hanky panky that she wasn’t prepared for.</p><p>When it is Chloe and Lucifer, that was fine, she didn’t have to think about the world-altering ramifications.</p><p>But this was her.</p><p>Her and Er-</p><p>
  <em>Abel.</em>
</p><p>She had thought about<em> the </em>Abel in less than …<em> wholesome</em> positions.</p><p>“I … I got to go,” Ella says, turning around and walking away.</p><p>“Ms. Lopez,” he says, “I-“</p><p>She turns her head back for a second as if verifying he is there before she turns back around and quickly pushes her cart down the aisle.</p><p>He lowers his hands, defeated.</p><p>“Ella!” he says.</p><p>She turns the corner, and he sighs.</p><p>He turns back to the can of beans on the shelf. He looks at them and rolls his eyes before grabbing one.</p><p>It didn’t matter at this point which one was better.</p><p>
  <strong>---------</strong>
</p><p>Inside his office, Father Kyle sits at his desk, flicking his pen in his hand. His mind is abuzz with thoughts and theories, but none of them make sense. None of them feel … <em>complete.</em></p><p>He sighs and sticks the end of the pen in his mouth. He sits forward and goes back to reading a single page of the splayed out pages in front of him. They are marked up with red ink and numbered. Outside of their staples, they seem like one loose tale, but he can see it. The threads that connect them all.</p><p>He just … doesn't know what it means. He should ask Abel. Though, Abel seemed to keep to himself. He much preferred confessionals over any of the other duties a normal priest might do. The parishioner's seems to enjoy him at confessional, at least.</p><p>A knock at the door startles him, and he bites down hard on the pen, popping it and spilling black ink into his mouth.</p><p>Some of the ink drops onto the pages on the desk.</p><p>He groans and spits the ink onto his sleeves.</p><p>"Ugh! Come … come in," he says, trying to wipe the black liquid from his mouth.</p><p>Amenadiel enters and pauses.</p><p>The priest reaches over the papers and grabs a tissue from the box at the end of the table. He wipes his mouth and his sleeve off with it.</p><p>"Did I come in at a bad time?" he asks, confused about what the hell is going on.</p><p>"No, I just … You startled me, and I bit down on my pen," he says.</p><p>Amenadiel chuckles and closes the door behind him.</p><p>"So? What do you think? Have you figured it out yet?" Amenadiel says, eyeing the papers with scribbles and notes on them.</p><p>Father Kyle sighs and reaches for another tissue. He spits into it before balling the tissue up and tossing it into the trashcan. Amenadiel notices a small metal vase of water sitting on a table nearby. He approaches it and pours a glass.</p><p>"No, I … I'm still trying to figure it out," Father Kyle says.</p><p>Amenadiel approaches and hands Father Kyle a glass of water. He accepts it.</p><p>"Thank you," he says before taking a few gulps.</p><p>"Ink isn't poisonous, right?" he asks.</p><p>Amenadiel chuckles, "It depends on the ink, but I think you should be fine."</p><p>"Good," Father Kyle says, before downing the rest of the glass.</p><p>He sets the empty glass on the edge of the desk and turns back to the papers. He lets out a giant sigh and shakes his head.</p><p>"I've been trying to connect the dots for days now," he says, "and nothing. It's just saying the same stuff over and over again. The clues I do have are dead ends and …"</p><p>Father Kyle brings his hand up to his hair. Amenadiel stares at him, noticing the bags beneath his eyes and the wrinkled clothing he wears. He's been at this for a very long time.</p><p>When was the last time he slept?</p><p>"Tell me again," Amenadiel asks.</p><p>Father Kyle looks at him wearily.</p><p>"It might knock something loose," Amenadiel says.</p><p>Father Kyle sighs, "We've been over this so many times I don't think there is anything else to knock loose."</p><p>"Just try," Amenadiel says.</p><p>Father Kyle sighs, exasperated, before groaning and standing up.</p><p>"In the beginning, God made man," he says.</p><p>Amenadiel nods.</p><p>"He made night and day. He made man and woman. He made up and down, light and dark."</p><p>Father Kyle shakes his head.</p><p>"The bible is … rife with contradictions not because it is telling one story but because it is telling multiple stories from multiple perspectives, and they all lead to one idea. The duality of man. Redemption through- through action. Empathy."</p><p>Amenadiel nods.</p><p>"That God is not a singular entity or idea but a multitude of ideas. Of every corner of the universe, of every experience wrapped into one. The idea that there are sinners and that there are saints, but … often times, they are not separate."</p><p>"And what about the final war?" he asks.</p><p>Father Kyle turns to Amenadiel, his eyes narrows.</p><p>"The bible does mention a final war between good and evil. When Lucifer seeks to gain a throne in the heavens," Father Kyle says, nodding, "but these pages aren't about war, Amenadiel. They are about… <em>life</em>. About existence."</p><p>"You can write your dissertation on the bible when we are done," Amenadiel says, "but right now, I need to know what it says about Lucifer. About what is happening to him. About the Final war. It is the only way I can stop it."</p><p>Father Kyle sighs and moves to sit back in his chair. He plops down and stares at the pages.</p><p>He shakes his head.</p><p>"The book of Samael is … difficult to understand. Even with the other pages and books, it - like the rest of the bible- contradicts itself. It is telling multiple stories, and I can't tell which is true. In one verse, the devil is a liar, an angel corrupted by his own desires. In another verse, he is … selfless. An angel that willingly gives up himself so that others might live, a martyr. Duality, Amenadiel. I … I don't know which one is true."</p><p>"You said the truth is left to perspective," Amenadiel says.</p><p>Father Kyle nods.</p><p>"So, you see my predicament," Father Kyle responds.</p><p>"What is <em>your </em>perspective?" Amenadiel asks.</p><p>Father Kyle looks at Amenadiel. He stares for a long time, longer than Amenadiel expects. His eyes drop before turning to the bookshelf across the room.</p><p>He narrows his eyes and stares at the bookshelf for a long time, as if he were thinking – or remembering.</p><p>"The Angel known as Samael is …," Father Kyle says, turning to Amenadiel, "<em>unique</em>. He is the only angel in God's family with a task that cannot be done. The impossible."</p><p>Father Kyle turns and sifts through the pages on his desk until he finds the one he is looking for.</p><p>"He was given the- the <em>fire</em> to create and the desire to shift the stars. He was given the heart of God. The will. The need," Father Kyle says, shaking his head.</p><p>"Is it no wonder then he tried to usurp the throne?" Father Kyle asks Amenadiel.</p><p>"To be given the desire for more, without the power or ability? To desire free will but never have it?"</p><p>"And this is why he is becoming human? To fulfill that desire? to complete that task?" Ameandiel asks.</p><p>Father Kyle shakes his head, "The book of Samael only speaks of the angel and what he will go through, not why. I believe that to be … to be somewhere else."</p><p>Father Kyle shifts through the pages on his desk.</p><p>Amenadiel watches him as she sifts through the pages.</p><p>"It's here somewhere," Father Kyle says, getting more flustered the longer he can't find it.</p><p>Amenadiel shakes his head, "What about the end goal? What does Father want for Lucifer?"</p><p>Father Kyle pauses, looks at Amenadiel, then turns back to the pages.</p><p>"Oh," he says.</p><p>He sifts through the papers again before finding one. This page is marked in red ink in many places. It looks more like a child colored on It than a print out of words.</p><p>"Tell me if this sounds familiar," Father Kyle says as he begins to read.</p><p>"<em>And the Lord led him unto Eden so that he might lay unto fertile pastures</em>," Father Kyle says, "this is talking about Samael."</p><p>Amenadiel nods, understanding that.</p><p>Amenadiel narrows his eyes while Father Kyle keeps reading.</p><p>"So that he might know as the Lord might know. So that he might not fear evil but embrace it. So that his soul might be restoreth, and he should dwell unto the house of the Lord."</p><p>Amenadiel stares at the priest, waiting for the answer.</p><p>"Nothing?" he asks.</p><p>Amenadiel shakes his head.</p><p>Father Kyle sets the paper down and stands before moving to the bookshelf. He grabs a bible from the shelf and opens it, flipping to a particular passage.</p><p>"How about now?" he asks before he begins to read.</p><p>"The Lord is my Shepard. I shall not want," he begins.</p><p>Amenadiel's eyebrows furrow.</p><p>"He maketh me lie down in green <em>pastures</em>: he <em>leadeth</em> me beside the still waters."</p><p>"The Psalm of David," Amenadiel says.</p><p>Father Kyle holds his hand out, "He <em>restoreth</em> my soul."</p><p>Amenadiel turns his head, the dots connecting in his head. That verse was similar to the verse from the book of Samael.</p><p>"Ye though I walk through the valley of death. I will <em>fear no evil</em>, for thou art with me," Father Kyle says again before looking up.</p><p>"They <em>are</em> similar," Amenadiel nods, agreeing.</p><p>"Yes, but why?" Father Kyle says.</p><p>Amenadiel shrugs.</p><p>"This passage is about having faith in the Lord. About him strengthening us in our moments of weakness. I will fear no evil," he says, "for <em>thou</em> art with me. God is with me."</p><p>Father Kyle sets the bible down on the desk and walks around to Amenadiel.</p><p>"You said yourself, Lucifer has died. He has … walked through the proverbial valley of death. Is he afraid? Does he have faith?" Father Kyle asks.</p><p>"If he is afraid he doesn't show it," Amenadiel says.</p><p>"And what if he isn't?" Father Kyle says.</p><p>Amenadiel grunts, "What does this have to do with the final war?"</p><p>Father Kyle shakes his head, "I don't know!" he yells, frustrated.</p><p>Amenadiel raises his eyebrows at Father Kyle's outburst.</p><p>Father Kyle collapses back in his chair, a weary sigh that leads to him brushing his hair back with his hand.</p><p>"I just … I've devoted my life to these texts. I've read them back and forth. I've dissected every single letter and reconstructed it and yet… <em>yet</em>, I feel like there is<em> something</em> missing. Something staring me dead in the face, and I cannot see what it is," he says, staring at all the pages on the desk.</p><p>Amenadiel regards the priest, unsure of what to make of this. Father Kyle stares back at him with wild eyes, his hair messed up. Amenadiel shakes his head.</p><p>"You're tired. You need to get some sleep," Amenadiel says.</p><p>"He restoreth my soul," Father Kyle says, lost in his own thought.</p><p>"Why would they remove something so important from the bible?" he asks, turning to Amenadiel, "That the devil should have redemption? Should find his place back in heaven?"</p><p>Amenadiel shakes his head, "Father told me he would lose his position in the celestial. He wouldn't say that if his plan was to have Lucifer live in the silver city with him."</p><p>Father Kyle sighs and shakes his head. He brings his hand to his head and turns back to his desk.</p><p>"You're tired," Amenadiel says again, "You've worked hard on this, and I appreciate it … but maybe we should give this a break? We can't find the answer if you are worn out."</p><p>Father Kyle sighs and nods, "Perhaps you're right."</p><p>Amenadiel nods, "Take a break. I'll come back in a few days, and we can pick up again. Lucifer has returned so …maybe I'll talk with him a little more about it."</p><p>"He's back?" Father Kyle says, his head snapping to Amenadiel.</p><p>Amenadiel nods, "he came back this morning."</p><p>"Can I … can I meet him?" Father Kyle asks.</p><p>Amenadiel pauses and furrows his eyebrows, "Uh … yeah," he says confused, "Sure. I guess. I guess we can set something up. We might even get farther if we get his input."</p><p>"Excellent," Father Kyle turning his head back to the bookcase, his eyes far.</p><p>Amenadiel notices it and sighs.</p><p>"Get some rest," Amenadiel says before turning and leaving.</p><p>Father Kyle nods before watching Amenadiel leave then sighs. He turns his eyes back to the papers.</p><p>Maybe he <em>was</em> pushing himself harder than he should, but it isn't every day an Angel comes to you and asks you to interpret a book that could save the devil.</p><p>Still, Amenadiel was right. He needed to gain clarity by … walking away. Allowing his brain the time to ruminate without more input.</p><p>He needed sleep.</p><p>He lets go of a heavy sigh before his eyes turn to the bible on his desk. He stares at it for a moment before reaching forward and grabbing it. He flips open the book, and it falls open quickly to Isaiah. Inside the spine of the book, tucked between the pages lays a white object. He pulls it out to inspect it.</p><p>It is large, the width and length of the book, but it is incomplete. It looks like the part of a feather. But the edges of it are burned and blackened while the center is a vivid white. He looks at it with hope and revere before letting go of another sigh and placing it back into the bible. He closes the book and stands before lovingly sliding the bible back into the bookshelf. He pauses and turns to the papers on the desk.</p><p>He reaches up and slides his hands through his hair before walking towards the door of his office. He flips the light off, looks back at the desk for a second, and then exits, shutting the door behind him.</p><p>
  <strong>----------------</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>Outside in the garden of an estate, crowds of people sit in white chairs facing a rose laced pagoda that stares off into a man-made reflection pool.</p><p>There are sections of chairs divided by an aisle lined with a light pink and silky runner. On one side, there are rows and rows of people packed into seating. The other side is only half full.</p><p>On the emptier side, Maze and Natalie sit on the third row closest to the front. Natalie sits on the aisle seat, and Maze sits right next to her.</p><p>People chat amongst themselves as they wait.</p><p>"Looks like Liz likes to rack up the friends, and Maggie is a loser," Maze says, noting how empty their side is.</p><p>Natalie turns to look at the full seating and sighs.</p><p>"Liz is a very … <em>amenable</em> person when it comes to meeting new people. She has many friends."</p><p>Natalie looks back to the section they are sitting on. By comparison, it is empty, bare.</p><p>"I don't doubt my wedding would look similar," she says.</p><p>Maze turns to her head to Natalie, her eyebrows furrowed. Natalie glances at her and catches the look on her face.</p><p>"Oh, let me be clear. I don't intend on ever getting married," she says.</p><p>Maze nods, "Good. Monogamy is a farce and highly unrealistic. No Offense."</p><p>"None taken. It certainly isn't for everyone," Natalie says, "All this for a single day? To what? Show off your ability to secure a partner to a crowd of people? Public displays of affection aside, isn't it a little auto-erotic?</p><p>Maze nods in agreement, "If I'm going to watch someone stroke their own ego, I'd at least like a happy ending," she says.</p><p>Natalie chuckles. Maze turns to her, not expecting her to laugh. A small smile peels itself into the corner of her mouth.</p><p>Natalie shakes her head.</p><p>"No, If I am getting married, it is for tax purposes. We'll go down to the courthouse on a lunch break, get married, and go back to work."</p><p>Maze stares at Natalie.</p><p>"So, you<em> do </em>think about marriage?" Maze asks.</p><p>Natalie turns to her, "No - I …no I mean, I'm just saying," she says shifting in her seat, "if it ever got to that point, I'd rather do it in the courthouse than pay all this money for some meaningless ceremony in front of some invisible man in the sky."</p><p>Maze shrugs, "It's a legal matter anyway, has nothing to do with God."</p><p>Natalie scoffs, "<em>God</em>. There is no God don't be stupid," she says.</p><p>Maze furrows her eyebrows, and Natalie catches the look on her face. Natalie tilts her head, her shoulders dropping as if she is finally learning something about Maze she doesn't like.</p><p>"Don't tell me you're religious," she says, displeased.</p><p>"I mean, I don't like the guy myself, but … there <em>is</em> a God," she says, so sure of herself.</p><p>Natalie shakes her head, "I hate to break it to you, but … no, he doesn't - or she - who knows really. Whatever <em>it</em> is, it doesn't exist. Death is … death is the end all be all. I can't imagine why anyone would believe there is something after death. Would <em>want</em> there to be something after death. Quite frankly, that thought scares me. That there is something past this," she says, waving around her.</p><p>Maze looks at her oddly. That was an odd sentiment for a mortal. She squints her eyes.</p><p>
  <em>Was she sure this wasn't a demon?</em>
</p><p>"Death seems like a reward for living. Anything past is just an extension of …"</p><p>She pauses.</p><p>
  <em>An extension of what?</em>
</p><p>"You seem to really hate God," Maze says, "Why? I mean, I know why I do, but … why do<em> you</em>?"</p><p>Natalie turns to her, "How can I hate something that doesn't exist?"</p><p>Maze nods and hums grimly.</p><p>Humans were his wonderful creation. They weren't tossed aside and made to live in hell like demons. It made sense for a demon to despise their maker, but … a human?</p><p>They sit in silence for a moment.</p><p>"Quality is way better than quantity, anyway," Maze says.</p><p>"Huh?" Natalie asks.</p><p>"People. Humans," Maze says, turning to look at Liz's side of the aisle.</p><p>"Quality over quantity."</p><p>"Mm," Natalie nods, trying not to think about the fact that she didn't even have that.</p><p>Outside of Elliot, she didn't really have friends. And Elliot wasn't even really her friend. At least not now. Not since she went on TV. Not since she showed her face. Not since she stopped being Mistress.</p><p>She missed Mistress. She had spent her usual play evenings at the gun range, getting out the energy Mistress used to use. But the crick in her neck means that won't last for long. She was tense.</p><p>Music starts playing now, and they turn as brides people walk down the aisle, arms locked.</p><p>Everyone begins to stand, and so does Natalie. Maze shortly follows, and they watch as the bride's people come down the aisle, unlock arms and go to their sides. At the end of the line, Maggie walks locked hand in hand with a man of the cloth.</p><p>Natalie recognizes him.</p><p>It's Father Grayson.</p><p>He smiles and looks at Maggie, his hand over hers and a proud look in his eyes, before turning his head to the crowd. He sees Natalie and their eyes lock.</p><p>Natalie looks away, her shoulders immediately tense and rigid, and her head lowered.</p><p>Maze notices.</p><p>Maze turns to watch Father Grayson and her eyes narrow. She didn't like that exchange.</p><p>There was something unspoken there.</p><p>Father Grayson turns back to Maggie, and as they approach the altar, he lets her go. She stands next to him as he takes his position next to her as the ordaining minister.</p><p>The music changes to the familiar sound of the bridal march, and everyone turns to see Liz, dressed in a flowy white dress with lace around the shoulders. A small child with a flower basket precedes her, dropping rose petals one by one – and very carefully - before her. The audience laughs at her cuteness as she delicately places the petals on the ground step by step.</p><p>Liz smiles, her eyes locked with an already weeping Maggie.</p><p>She walks forward, slowly, as the flower girl places petals before her. She gets a few feet from Natalie and turns to her.</p><p>Liz smiles and turns back to Maggie, but Natalie is just staring forward, her eyes wide and lost.</p><p>When Liz gets to the front, the song stops, and everyone sits.</p><p>"Dearly beloved," Father Grayson begins, "We are gathered here today to witness the joining of two souls in holy matrimony."</p><p>Natalie's leg starts to shake, and Maze notices.</p><p>Maze looks at Natalie's shaking leg, and her eyes roll up to Natalie, who just stares forward, blinking rapidly.</p><p>Her breathing is shallow, and her leg is shaking fast, like the wings of a hummingbird.</p><p>Maze furrows her eyebrows.</p><p>"Hey," Maze whispers, but Natalie doesn't respond.</p><p>"Hey!" she whispers again, leaning forward and setting a hand on Natalie's shaking leg.</p><p>She can feel Natalie's heartbeat thud through the veins on her thigh. It's quick and strong.</p><p>Natalie's eyes snap to Maze, and she stares at her, that wild-eyed look on her face that reminds Maze of the morning Maze woke in her bed. When Natalie pulled a knife on her.</p><p>"You okay?" Maze asks, a sincere concern behind her eyes.</p><p>Natalie blinks as if suddenly aware of where she is. She clears her throat and looks around before turning her gaze forward to the chair in front of her.</p><p>"Yeah. I'm fine," she says.</p><p>"If any person can show just cause why these two may not be joined together, let them speak now or forever hold their peace," Father Grayson says.</p><p>The priest pauses, and heads begin to turn in the audience. They are random at first until it becomes apparent that everyone is looking at Natalie. Though they pretend to look around, they are <em>definitely</em> scanning Natalie a lot longer than they should.</p><p>Maze's eyebrows raise.</p><p>Natalie just stares forward, her eyes locked on the chair and a blank stare on her face.</p><p>Maze doesn't like this. Her senses are tingling that something is wrong here.</p><p>Something is <em>very </em>wrong.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>--------</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>Inside the cold-water lagoon, Calmos sits with his feet over the edge. He doesn't move them, or splash them, with a childlike joy as he usually would.</p><p>Instead, they are just there.</p><p>He stares blankly forward, the light on the water hitting his face and barely showing the streaks of tears.</p><p>Behind him, down the rocky path, he hears footsteps and turns quickly to see Ezria approaching.</p><p>He turns back to the lagoon.</p><p>"I'd like to be left alone," he says, his voice weak and dripping with sadness.</p><p>Ezria continues to approach him.</p><p>"You know I can't do that," he says with a grin.</p><p>He approaches Calmos, and Calmos turns to him as he sits, draping his legs over the edge and dipping them into the water.</p><p>"I don't want anyone to see me like this," he says, "imagine what they will say."</p><p>"Am I anyone?" Ezria asks.</p><p>Calmos turns to Ezria. He stares at him for a second before turning back to the lagoon and sighing.</p><p>"No, I suppose you aren't," he says, shaking his head, "but I have no interest in sex right now."</p><p>Ezria shrugs, "then I suppose neither do I," he says with a soft smile.</p><p>Calmos doesn't look at him, he just stares forward.</p><p>They sit in silence for a moment, Ezria leaning back on his hands and slowly kicking his feet as if he were swimming. It doesn't make a sound, but it sends a current through an otherwise placid surface.</p><p>"He was my father," Calmos says after a few moments, anger behind his voice but not directed at anyone but himself.</p><p>Ezria tilts his head and turns to Calmos.</p><p>"He was your genetic ancestor," Ezria says, "nothing more."</p><p>"He raised me to be who I am," Calmos says.</p><p>Ezria scoffs, "You are who you are <em>despite</em> his rearing. He was crass and selfish and disloyal. You are twice the man he was," he says.</p><p>"I'm a halfling, of course I am," Calmos says disgustedly.</p><p>Ezria leans forward on his knees, trying to catch Calmos' glance. Calmos stares forward, not looking despite being able to see Ezria in his peripheral vision.</p><p>"Look at me," Ezria says demanding.</p><p>Calmos doesn't.</p><p>"Look at me," Ezria says softer, almost pleading.</p><p>Cautiously, Calmos turns, expecting to see darkened eyes staring back at him. Instead, it's the light brown of Ezria's eyes, filled with high regard and something that looks a lot like love.</p><p>"The best thing he ever did for you was to give you his blood and bring you here," Ezria says laying his hand on Calmos' thigh. Calmos looks down at it.</p><p>"To me," Ezria finishes with a smile.</p><p>Calmos lets out a deep sigh and nods. He leans his head onto Ezria's shoulder, and Ezria wraps his arm around Calmos' shoulder.</p><p>"I just … <em>I feel</em>," he says.</p><p>"Mm," Ezria says.</p><p>Ezria turns his eyes to Calmos, then turns back to the lagoon.</p><p>"He was ... all I ever had. All I had ever known. He was not perfect, and often times he was cruel and hateful, but ...he was familiar. An anchor in a sea of -"</p><p>Calmos stops speaking, his eyes searching the lagoon in front of him for the word. He can't come up with it, so instead, he says nothing.</p><p>They sit in silence for a while.</p><p>"Is it wrong to feel relieved?" Calmos asks.</p><p>Ezria chuckles and shakes his head, "No. I am relieved for you," he says.</p><p>Calmos scoffs, a small huff of amusement leaving his nostrils.</p><p>They sit in silence again, both staring out onto the darkened water before them. Ezria's eyes move down to Calmos's head on his shoulder. He regards him for a long time before turning back to the lagoon.</p><p>"Would you … like to meet her?" Ezria asks.</p><p>"Who?" Calmos responds.</p><p>"Your mother," he says.</p><p>Calmos pauses before slowly lifting his head and looking at Ezria.</p><p>"What?" he asks, unsure if he heard that correctly.</p><p>Ezria turns his eyes to Calmos.</p><p>"The woman who birthed you, would you like to see her?"</p><p>Calmos shakes his head, confusion, and horror plastered on his face.</p><p>"She's here," Ezria continues, "In a cell. It took me a while to find her, but … she<em> is</em> here."</p><p>"I …,"</p><p>Calmos turns his head back to the lagoon.</p><p>"I don't know. Why would I want to do that?" Calmos asks.</p><p>Ezria shrugs.</p><p>"You're half-human," Ezria says, "Why do your kind want to do anything?"</p><p>Calmos turns to Ezria, anger behind his eyes that Ezria would say something like that. <em>Especially</em> now.</p><p>"It might make you feel better," Ezria says.</p><p>Calmos' eyes soften.</p><p>He turns back to the lagoon.</p><p>She was here? This whole time she was here?</p><p>He had been told she was sent to the void during the crusades.</p><p>Then, when he had learned of his true nature, he thought she had been kind – like him – and was sent to live where the <em>good </em>Angels live.</p><p>He had been so resigned to the idea of not knowing who she is, what she looked like, or sounded like, that to now have the option was … <em>terrifying.</em></p><p>What if she weren't as he imagined? What if she didn't know of, or want him?</p><p>What if she were just as cruel as his father?</p><p>How would he go on knowing that he was a mistake in every realm? Demonic or Earthly.</p><p>"I think I will sit here for a little while longer," he tells Ezria.</p><p>Ezria nods and turns back to the lagoon.</p><p>"You don't have to stay with me, My King," Calmos says.</p><p>Ezria smiles and nods, "But you know I will."</p><p>Calmos nods.</p><p>Ezria clears his throat, a shift in his energy that makes Calmos turn to him.</p><p>"I ... uhm," he says, "I didn't know you, you know ... you hadn't-"</p><p>Calmos furrows his eyebrows.</p><p>"<em>You know</em>. Laid with anyone," Ezria says.</p><p>Calmos smiles and nods.</p><p>"I didn't find it important enough to mention," Calmos says, "though ... many times I did try, in passing."</p><p>"When?" Ezria asks, unfamiliar with that conversation.</p><p>Calmos smiles, "Many times, but it seems we became ... <em>preoccupied</em> before I could explain."</p><p>Ezria grins and nods.</p><p>"Mmm, I suppose so," Ezria says.</p><p>There is a small second of silence.</p><p>“I suppose that explains the teeth,” Ezria says.</p><p>Calmos bursts into laughter and Ezria turns to him, surprised. A smile peels onto his face and he chuckles too.</p><p>The laughter dies down into a comfortable silence.</p><p>Ezria slowly kicks his feet in the water as Calmos stares into nothingness, trying to build up the courage to say yes.</p><p>Yes, he wanted to see his … <em>mother</em>.</p><p>
  <strong>-------</strong>
</p><p> </p><p><strong>"</strong>You are my light in the darkness," Liz says to Maggie, reading from a paper as her eyes start to well with tears.</p><p>"Before you, life was fun and an adventure. But you came in and gave it <em>meaning</em>. You are my reason to get up in the morning and go to bed at night. To dream, and hope and pray," Liz continues, looking up at Maggie.</p><p>"You are my person," she continues, folding the letter and holding back a whimper.</p><p>Maggie reaches out and holds her hand.</p><p>"And I am lucky to be yours," she says.</p><p>Father Grayson nods and turns to a small boy standing next to him.</p><p>A hand nudges the boy forward, and he approaches Father Grayson. He smiles at the boy, takes one of the rings on the pillow, and hands it to Maggie.</p><p>"Repeat after me," he says.</p><p>She nods.</p><p>“I, Magdeline Applewood.”</p><p>"I, Magdeline Applewood," Maggie repeats.</p><p>"Take you, Elizabeth Candler."</p><p>"Take you, Elizabeth Candler," she repeats.</p><p>Natalie clenches her jaw, her eyes staring forward onto the back of the head of the person in front of her. Her legs, now crossed, don't shake anymore, but there is a slight tremor in her foot that Maze notices.</p><p>The energy coming off of her that makes Maze watch her with an intensity reserved only for tracking. Almost as if she were trying to figure it out, trying to anticipate Natalie's moves.</p><p>"With this ring, I thee wed," Maggie says.</p><p>Maggie slides the ring onto Liz's finger, and Liz looks up at her with a smile.</p><p>Father Grayson turns to the boy with the pillow and grabs the other ring. The boy then turns and walks back to his station.</p><p>Father Grayson hands the ring to Liz.</p><p>Liz responds to him with a smile, but the smile doesn't reach her eyes. She takes the ring from him, but there is a reservation in the way she does it.</p><p>"Repeat after me," Father Grayson says.</p><p>She nods.</p><p>"I, Elizabeth Candler," he says.</p><p>"I, Elizabeth Candler," Liz repeats.</p><p>"Take you, Magdeline Applewood."</p><p>"Take you, Magdeline Applewood," she repeats.</p><p>Natalie suddenly gets up, and power walks away. Maze sits up, turns to watch Natalie walk away. She sighs and rolls her eyes.</p><p>She stands and follows Natalie.</p><p>Liz turns her head as she notices movement and sees Maze shortly following Natalie.</p><p>"For better or for worse," the Priest says.</p><p>Liz looks back at Maggie with a strained smile.</p><p>"For better or for worse," she says</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>------</strong>
</p><p>The door to the bathroom bursts open, and Natalie enters. She shakes her hands, trying to shake that feeling off.</p><p><em>Pull yourself together</em>, she thinks.</p><p>The door behind her opens, and Maze walks in and crosses her arms.</p><p>She knows something is up, and she does not like what she thinks that something is.</p><p>Natalie turns to look at her and scoffs, defensive.</p><p>"I'm not pathetic," she says.</p><p>Maze lets the door shut behind her.</p><p>"I'm not … crying over some girl like a <em>fucking </em>pre-school crush," she says angrily, the tears starting to form in her eyes.</p><p>"I didn't say you were," Maze replies.</p><p>"I'm did not believe that I would come here, and she would admit that it was the worst decision she ever made to leave me. That this whole thing was a sham to get me back like she's Julia Roberts, and I'm fucking ..."</p><p>Natalie pauses.</p><p>Natalie brings a hand up to pinch the bridge of her nose, "Oh, God. What was that guy's name?"</p><p>Maze crosses her arms, "You know that didn't end well for Julia, right?"</p><p>Natalie huffs, putting her hands on her hips and continuing to pace.</p><p>"I'm not crying over a girl!" Natalie says.</p><p>"Okay. So why <em>are </em>you crying," Maze asks.</p><p>"Because I feel stupid!" she yells, with a quick response.</p><p>It is an annoyed response to Maze's prying.</p><p>Maze just stares at her, one eyebrow raised.</p><p>Natalie groans and continues to pace.</p><p>"Because yet again, I thought people could be decent <em>fucking</em> human beings. I let myself think that if no one else, at least that - that <em>cunt, </em>would have my back<em>."</em></p><p>Maze raises her eyebrows, a shocked look on her face.</p><p>"Okay... so, <em>now</em> I'm curious. I mean, I'm on board with it, but why are we mad a Liz?" Maze says.</p><p>"You know how many times I had to stick my neck out for her?" Natalie asks, pointing to the wall, but more so pointing to the altar where no doubt Liz and Maggie were finishing up their vows.</p><p>"How much of myself I gave up for her?" Natalie asks.</p><p>Maze shakes her head, trying hard to focus on the content of the conversation and not the tone. The tone that has her eyes flipping down to Natalie's lips and wondering how her lipsticks tastes.</p><p>"I threw away so much of myself to make her happy," Natalie says, "and ... and..."</p><p>Suddenly the rage behind Natalie's words fall, and she's fully aware that she is talking to Maze in the bathroom of Liz's wedding.</p><p>She was <em>actually</em> pathetic.</p><p>Natalie shakes her head and goes back to pacing. She doesn't say anything, she just paces back and forth, her jaw tensing and relaxing with each step.</p><p>Maze watches her, realizing that she inside of her mind, thinking. Running words and ideas through it.</p><p>"Edwards," Maze says.</p><p>Natalie continues to pace, thinking. She shakes her head, her eyes closed, and the anger subsiding in her system.</p><p>"That's not fair," she finally says, hiding behind her pragmatism.</p><p>"I ... I shouldn't. I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation-"</p><p>"For what?" Maze says, trying to figure out what the hell is going on in Natalie's mind.</p><p>Natalie sees the look on Maze's face, and her eyes fall down to the sheet top and leather bustier."</p><p>Suddenly Natalie switches gears as if needing something else to think about, "You know, I told you to wear something nice!" she says.</p><p>Maze unfurls her arms and looks at her self, "This is nice. This is my nicest outfit. Well ... that is appropriate for a wedding."</p><p>Natalie shakes her head.</p><p>Maze chuckles, "besides, you're not mad at me. You're mad at Liz. I'm just trying to figure out why you even still care."</p><p>Natalie shakes her head, "I'm not upset about Liz. I'm happy for her," she says.</p><p>"Bullshit," Maze says, "Otherwise we wouldn't be in here right now, would we?"</p><p>Natalie scoffs, "It has nothing to do with anyone but me," Natalie says, "I was stupid to think that anything good would come out of people."</p><p>"To trust is childish, and I'm not a child. People are … the <em>worst</em>," Natalie says, "Disloyal, revolting, <em>wicked."</em></p><p>Maze nods.</p><p>"I get it. I've been there," Maze says, "Life is rough, and you thought you had found someone to make it a little better. Only it turns out they are just like everyone else."</p><p>Natalie scoffs, reaching for the toilet paper roll to wipe the water leaking from her nose as she sniffles.</p><p>"and watching her get married is like watching that little glimmer of hope you had left die, right?" Maze asks.</p><p>Natalie rolls her eyes at Maze's armchair theory.</p><p>"You watch too mcuh daytime TV, Ms. Smith," Natalie says.</p><p>Maze says, "this isn't a wedding, to you. It's a funeral."</p><p>Natalie pauses and turns to look at Maze. For a second, the room is still. Natalie's eyebrows furrow.</p><p>Maze really thought that this what she as crying about? That she gave a shit what some two-timing, cute in the face but bland in the waist woman did with their tax money?</p><p>Maybe avoiding the wedding at first was about avoiding the truth, but … having Liz back in Natalie's life for these last few months opened her eyes to the reality of their break. It may have ended with betrayal, but had been broken long before then.</p><p>And Maze had thought she would cry over <em>that</em>?</p><p>Perhaps that is better than the truth.</p><p>That is something she could tackle.</p><p>That is something she could attach this feeling to.</p><p>Something that would make sense to shove down instead of …</p><p>Instead of …</p><p>Natalie averts her eyes, the walls snapping back up, and she scoffs.</p><p>"Don't be so dramatic Ms. Smith," she says, blowing her nose into the paper.</p><p>It's the opposite of sexy. It's the opposite of everything that had made Maze feel so intrigued by her to the point where she had legitimately thought Natalie was a demon.</p><p>Without her shield, Natalie was …</p><p>Natalie<em> is</em> that strange fragility that Maze had only seen in pieces. Like the sun through a lattice. She was a soft center covered in a cracked coated shell.</p><p>But now she saw it all, firsthand. Natalie's rock bottom. A strong and capable woman crying in the bathroom at a wedding over a woman who was never there. Crying over an idea that was probably never real to begin with.</p><p>Natalie had allowed herself to climb that mountain after what was probably a long time of lacking any real connection with anyone, only to turn around and find she was alone.</p><p><em>This </em>was her fall from grace. From pretending everything was okay.</p><p>This was her watery lake, and here Maze was standing at the edge and staring in. Watching Natalie's lungs fill with anger, and betrayal, and hurt.</p><p>Is was clear that Natalie was in pain, pain that only shows in the eyes. Behind the anger and the betrayal. Behind a thick layer of caution and <em>"I don't give a fuck</em>."</p><p>It is beautiful.</p><p><em>She </em>is beautiful.</p><p>It should make Maze dislike her, but instead, it makes Maze …</p><p>It makes Maze … <em>like</em> her.</p><p><em>Really </em>like her.</p><p>Maze tilts her head, her heart beating – thumping and screaming – in her chest, recognizing this feeling.</p><p>"I shouldn't have come here," Natalie says, tossing the tissue into the toilet and flushing it, "You were right. I shouldn't have come here. It was fucking stupid."</p><p>Natalie moves over to the sink and washes her hands.</p><p>"Look," Maze says sighing, her voice softer and not as judgmental, "I know you're upset but … don't be, okay? Liz has to spend who knows how long dealing with marriage and monogamy, and you get to do what you please. I mean, you're smart and <em>crazy </em>hot and… different than most humans. <em>Better</em> than most humans. You can have anyone you want, and you don't need marriage to lock you down."</p><p>Natalie shakes her head, chuckling, "your continued insistence on calling everyone else a human as if you aren't, is as strange as it is endearing."</p><p>Natalie pauses, her eyes moving down.</p><p>"Though, I suppose it's easier to move through life writing off the opinions of others if you picture yourself as different to them."</p><p>Maze shrugs, "Maybe. But I don't write off your opinion," she says.</p><p>Natalie shuts off the sink and pauses before slowly turning to Maze. Maze's eyes cautiously meet Natalie's.</p><p>"In fact, I think your opinion is one of the only ones I'd actually listen to. Within reason, obviously. And by 'listen to' I mean, like, I'd take into <em>brief </em>consideration before doing what I actually want to do."</p><p>Natalie looks at her and scoffs, amused. The small smile falls, and she sighs, staring out into nothing.</p><p>It is followed by an awkward smile.</p><p>"You must think I'm a mess," she says, pulling her hand up to her hair and brushing a loose curl back, trying to tuck it back into the braid.</p><p>It doesn't go back in. Instead, it stays in momentarily before slipping back out.</p><p>"You're batshit insane," Maze says.</p><p>Natalie scoffs, amused, a small smile curving in the corner of her mouth.</p><p>She sighs and lowers her hand before turning to Maze.</p><p>"Between getting fired, drunk sex, and now this … you're never going to respect me, are you?" she says.</p><p>Maze smiles before she pauses, and her eyes turn behind her. Her ears twitch as if she is hearing something.</p><p>"I'm not broken," Natalie says, her eyes staring at Maze defensive.</p><p>But Maze isn't listening, there is something else that seems to have her attention.</p><p>Maze turns back to Natalie and looks her in the eye. She sees the defense there, but behind them, however, is a plea. A plea to not be looked at as broken, as <em>other</em>.</p><p>Her eyes ping pong back and forth between Natalie's eyes.</p><p>Suddenly, Maze pitches forward, planting her lips onto Natalie's. Natalie's eyes widen, shocked as Maze hungrily attacks her mouth.</p><p>"Ms. Smith!" she mumbles through Maze's lips in protest.</p><p>She places her hands-on Maze's shoulder and attempts to push her away.</p><p>Maze takes Natalie's hands off her shoulders and plants them on Maze's ass.</p><p>Maze then takes her hand and places it on Natalie's side, pulling her closer.</p><p>"Ms-," she says again, as Maze moves to her neck.</p><p>Her voice catches in her throat as she closes her eyes.</p><p>"What-," she says, still trying to protest despite her body responding favorably to Maze's touch.</p><p>She lets out a soft moan as Maze bites down on her exposed shoulder, her nipples hardening and straining against the blue - and clearly now very thin – fabric.</p><p>Suddenly the door opens, and an older woman walks in. She pauses when she sees Maze and Natalie. Natalie's eyes widen even more, and Maze stops and turns to the woman, a smile on her face.</p><p>They stand there for a moment before Maze's smile falls.</p><p>"In or out," Maze says, annoyed.</p><p>"Sorry!" the woman says, averting her eyes and turning to leave.</p><p>The woman leaves, and Maze turns back to Natalie. Natalie looks at Maze, her eyes shocked, and her face red with a mixture of arousal and shame.</p><p>She averts her eyes, staring at the tile of the bathroom floor.</p><p>"You're welcome," Maze says before moving to a hand towel nearby and wiping off the messy lipstick on her mouth.</p><p>Natalie crosses her arms, making herself visibly smaller. Suddenly she shakes her head and walks out of the bathroom, angry and needing to get away from Maze.</p><p>Maze turns to her as she leaves, "What? You didn't hear her clomping down the hallway?"</p><p>Natalie swings the door open to the restroom and Exits. Maze grunts, exasperated and follows her.</p><p>As soon as Maze steps out of the bathroom, she is met with a paused Natalie who stares towards the backyard of the mansion as Liz and Maggie, holding hands and smiling, approach them.</p><p>Maze turns to look at Natalie, and Natalie stands tall, holding in her breath.</p><p>Maze crosses her arms as Liz and Maggie follow the pink runner on the ground that leads through the front door, down the steps, and up to the waiting limousine.</p><p>As they pass, Liz turns her eyes to Natalie, her smile wide. Her eyes immediately drop to Natalie's slightly smudged lipstick. Liz's smile falls, but only slightly before she turns to Maggie.</p><p>Maggie is beaming and laughing to herself, overcome with joy. Liz sends her a soft smile as they exit through the French doors and descend the steps.</p><p>Natalie exhales, not even aware she had been holding her breath.</p><p>Maze turns to see the crowd standing up and heading towards them.</p><p>"Come on," Maze says nodding to the French doors, "Let's get drunk."</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>--</strong>
</p><p>Inside his apartment, Dan holds a half-empty garbage bag in one hand, while the other quickly shoves a countertop full of empty beer cans into the bag.</p><p>A few fall outside of the bag, and he leans down to toss them in. He stands up and moves to the living room, where he shoves more beer cans into the bag. He looks around to make sure he has everything before setting the bag down and scratching his head.</p><p>He turns and walks into his bedroom. Here the bed is unmade, and a few clothes lay strewn about. He grabs the clothes and tosses them into a dirty pile at the bottom of his closet before closing the closet door. He moves to his bedside table where two medicine bottles sit.</p><p>One is empty while the other has a few pills left. Dan grabs the bottle with a few empty pills left and shoves it into his bedside drawer. The other bottle he takes and walks back to the living room. He tosses it into the garbage bag before tying the bag up and tossing it over his shoulder.</p><p>He exits his apartment.</p><p>A few minutes later, he returns and locks the door behind him. He puts his hips on his side and looks around a somewhat clean apartment. Satisfied, he looks at his watch.</p><p>He had a few hours before he needed to pick up Trixie for the weekend, so … he had a little time to kill.</p><p>He moves to his couch and collapses onto it. He digs the remote out of the side of his couch where it fell and turns on the television. Here, he leans back and watches. The longer he watches, the heavier his eyelids become, and the more his leg begins to shake nervously.</p><p>His eyes drift close before they pop open, staring at the TV. He tries to stay awake, but eventually, he loses the battle, and his eyes drift closed.</p><p>When his eyes next open, he finds himself standing in the middle of the field again. It is dark outside, but the moon casts a glow that allows him to see everything.</p><p>Even the things he doesn't want to see.</p><p>Like the shadow in front of him, the one that ebbs and flows. It stares at him, into him, as if it had been waiting.</p><p>He stares at it, familiar with the fear at this point. It moves around him, blocking out the moon's light and filling his ears with whispers.</p><p>He stands there, his eyes frozen on it as it oscillates around a central mass, like ants who have found a meal. It whispers to him.</p><p>Asking him about death.</p><p>Asking him about pain.</p><p>Asking him about loss.</p><p>It shifts, and the moonlight hits something metallic around his neck. It causes the shadow to separate, like oil and water. The shadow moves, and it reveals, yet again, the face of Ezria. Except for this time, his face is lax and drooping, his jaw wide as ink pours into it. His eyes are not black or brown. Instead, they are rolled back into his head and only show the whites of his eyes.</p><p>He looks … <em>imprisoned.</em></p><p>Dan stares, unsure of what he is looking at. Slowly, Ezria's eyes roll forward, and Dan is staring at his light brown eyes. Except … they look sad. Lost. Forlorn.</p><p>The moon hits something metallic around his neck again, and the shadow shifts, revealing more of Ezria. Dan looks down to find he is wearing a necklace. He brings a hand up to eye the pendant hanging on his chest and furrows his eyebrows when he sees he is wearing a cross.</p><p>"What?" he says, confusion on his face.</p><p>He looks up just as the white in Ezria's eyes rolls into a full black.</p><p>Inside his apartment, Dan pops awake. The TV is still playing, but it is darker outside now. The sun hasn't yet gone over the horizon, but it is almost there. He looks around, trying to catch his breath. His hand immediately comes up to his neck, and he finds it is bare, no necklace.</p><p>He catches his bearings and wipes the sweat off his brow.</p><p>He looks around, realizes where he is, and leans forward, hiding his head in his hands.</p><p>He's so … tired.</p><p>He sighs and looks up, his eyes meeting with the darkness outside.</p><p>"Shit," he says, sitting up and looking at his watch.</p><p>"Damn it!" he says to himself as he jumps up, grabs his jacket off the arm of the couch and heads through the door.</p><p>It slams behind him and stays that way for several seconds.</p><p>Suddenly the door opens, and he reaches a hand in to grab a set of keys off the bowl near the door.</p><p>---</p><p>In a large ballroom, Natalie and Maze sit at a table in the middle of the room, sipping champagne – <em>free</em> champagne – and passively listening to the conversation at the table.</p><p>At the table with them are two couples, <em>elderly </em>couples. The kind of couples that they probably shouldn't be seated with, but for some strange reason are.</p><p>"And you know, since Reagan left office, it hasn't been the same, "one of the men says.</p><p>Natalie inhales deeply before slowly exhaling, already over this. She slips her hand into her clutch to touch her phone and checks the time. They've been here for way longer than forty-five minutes.</p><p>Natalie turns and leans over to Maze.</p><p>"How long do these things normally last? The food hasn't even come yet, and I'm starving," Natalie says before turning and reaching out for her champagne.</p><p>Maze turns her glance to Natalie and nods.</p><p>"You're asking the wrong demon," she says before pausing, "actually asking a demon in general about weddings is probably a bad idea. We don't do weddings."</p><p>Natalie rolls her eyes and downs the remainder of her champagne.</p><p>Maze crosses her arms and turns her head to see a group of people standing. In them is the woman that interrupted them in the bathroom. The woman leans into the group as if whispering a secret, and they all turn one by one to look in Natalie and Maze's direction.</p><p>Maze smiles and turns her glance to Natalie.</p><p>"I think our secret is out," she says, laughing.</p><p>Natalie raises her eyes as if to question what Maze is talking about. Maze nods towards the group, and Natalie turns to see the group looking at her. They turn their heads quickly before slowly dispersing.</p><p>Natalie turns back to the table just as a waiter comes over with a tray full of champagne.</p><p>"Would you like another?" he asks.</p><p>Natalie nods and hands him her empty glass. He, in exchange, gives her a full glass.</p><p>Maze downs her champagne in one gulp before handing it to him.</p><p>"Make that two," she says.</p><p>Natalie downs her champagne in one gulp as well. The waiter and Maze both looking at her as if it was not something they expected.</p><p>Natalie then takes the empty champagne glass, sets it on the tray the waiter has, and grabs another full one.</p><p>"Thanks," Maze says, her tone unsure as the waiter walks away, and she just stares at Natalie.</p><p>"Everything okay?" she asks.</p><p>"Why did you do that?" Natalie asks, snapping to Maze.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Why did you kiss me? I told you I didn't want to be-"</p><p>"I did it as a favor," Maze says, her eyebrows furrowed.</p><p>Natalie scoffs and takes a gulp of her champagne.</p><p>"You know, so it looks like you left to go make out with your hot girlfriend and not cry in the bathroom over a girl.</p><p>"I wasn't-"Natalie says quickly before pausing.</p><p>She clenches her jaw and sighs before shaking her head.</p><p>Then she takes another gulp of her champagne.</p><p>"You're welcome, Maze?" Maze asks.</p><p>Natalie cuts her a strong look of retribution that should make her back off, but only increases the heat between her legs.</p><p>"Look, I'm sorry okay? I promise you I wasn't doing that to cop a feel."</p><p>Natalie looks at her, unsure of Maze's answer.</p><p>"Honest," Maze says before she sees Natalie's eyes visibly soften.</p><p>Natalie shakes her head again, her demeanor shifting from righteous retribution to … subdued melancholy.</p><p>"It's such a shame. And now they want free healthcare like this is the USSR. You remember what happened to the USSR?" an elderly man says at their table.</p><p>Natalie grunts and takes another sip of her champagne.</p><p>It catches the attention of one of the women at the table.</p><p>"Don't mind us," she says, "we're just used to working for a living. We grew up in simpler times."</p><p>Natalie sets her champagne glass down on the table, an unamused glance behind her eyes.</p><p>"No offense," she starts off, her words absolutely <em>dripping</em> with offense.</p><p>"But your generation is probably the <em>worst</em> generation to be getting <em>any </em>political advice from. You've ruined our planet, you're a burden to our economy, and you lack social morality for anyone who isn't white, straight, conservative, or wealthy. You didn't work so much as you benefited from a society built on your parents' backs."</p><p>Maze raises an eyebrow. This was not – <em>could not</em> be – the same woman who was just crying in the bathroom.</p><p>"I find it extremely hypocritical that you would suggest free healthcare would harm our society when you yourself benefit from a socialized healthcare plan," she continues, "and there is nothing in this world I <em>detest</em> more than hypocrites."</p><p>"Well, I paid my taxes," a man says, flustered.</p><p>"We <em>all</em> pay our taxes, Pete," Natalie responds, not taking Pete's shit.</p><p>Maze just stares at Natalie. She was absolutely, bat-shit insane. If she wasn't crying in the bathroom, she was stepping on toes and not giving a <em>single </em>fuck.</p><p><em>Damn, </em>Maze thinks<em>, </em>her eyes drifting down Natalie's body. She takes a deep breath in, the tingle between her legs no longer able to be ignored.</p><p>She wanted Natalie. She wanted her<em> badly.</em></p><p>Even now, with her messy and curly French braid.</p><p>Even now, after drinking too much champagne on an empty stomach. Natalie had an air about her that demanded attention.</p><p>It demanded authority.</p><p>Maze's eye moves to a loose curl flopping on the side of Natalie's head. She narrows her eyes.</p><p>It was distracting. It didn't make her look the part.</p><p>"Just because you-," Natalie begins.</p><p>A microphone squeals for a second, catching everyone's attention, and they turn to see a man in a grey vest and grey slacks – standing near the center table with Natalie and Maggie.</p><p>"Hello, is this thing on?" he says, "Hello? Can you all hear me? Yeah? Okay great. I just wanted to get on here and thank you all for coming. We have some people that came from very far to give us the gift of their presence today."</p><p>Just then, the doors to the kitchen open, and waiters come out with plates of food on their hands.</p><p>"Finally," Maze says, sitting up.</p><p>Natalie reaches for her champagne and downs the rest of it.</p><p>"Sorry for the delay in food, but we're going to go ahead and continue on with our schedule while we are getting the food out to you," the man says.</p><p>Natalie sets her empty glass down and turns to her clutch. She reaches in to find the small bottle of hand sanitizer she thought she brought with her, only to find it not there.</p><p>She sighs.</p><p>"So, while we are serving the door, we're going to start with a few words for our lovely bride and bride."</p><p>Natalie turns to Maze, "I'm going to go wash my hands," she says, standing up.</p><p>"Does anyone want to get us started?" the man says right as Natalie stands up.</p><p>He snaps to the gentleman on the side of the room, holding a mic and waiting for volunteers.</p><p>"Ah, Natalie!" the moderator says.</p><p>Natalie turns right as the microphone is shoved in front of her face.</p><p>"Oh uh," she says, being handed the microphone, "I was … I was actually just going to get up and go wash my hands."</p><p>The crowd chuckles.</p><p>"But uhm … sure. I guess I can … say something," she says, looking at Maze.</p><p>Maze, eyes wide, shakes her head as if to say this is a bad idea.</p><p>Natalie looks around at the people paying attention to her.</p><p>"I uhm. Yes, I … didn't have anything prepared, obviously, but uhm … sure," Natalie says before clearing her throat.</p><p>She turns her head away to burps, and a little champagne comes up.</p><p>She pats her chest and turns back to the mic.</p><p>Maze laughs to herself.</p><p>"Drinks and a show. So worth it," Maze grins, reaching for her champagne.</p><p>Natalie turns to her, a displeased look in her eyes.</p><p>"Right uhm," she says, putting the mic up to her mouth.</p><p>She brings it a little too close, and it squeals. She pulls it away from her mouth.</p><p>"As most here probably know, I've, uhm. I've known Maggie since we were young. She was a straight-A student, and despite us taking separate roads in life, we both graduated top of our class. She's smart and headstrong, just like me, so I'm not surprised to see her achieve great things," Natalie says.</p><p>Maze chuckles, "This is a wedding, not a Graduation," she says.</p><p>Natalie turns to Maze, narrowing her eyes again.</p><p>She turns back to the table with Liz and Maggie.</p><p>Natalie then looks around at the crowd staring at her. She clenches her jaw and nods to herself.</p><p>Natalie lets go of a deep sigh, her shoulders relaxing more.</p><p>"It's also no secret I don't believe in marriage," Natalie says.</p><p>Maze scoffs amused into her glass.</p><p>"I think it's archaic and pointless and would rather run through the streets nude than to profess my feelings in front of a crowd of relative strangers."</p><p>The crowd looks at each other, unsure where this is going. The man a few feet from Natalie moves forward, preparing to take the mic, but Liz holds up her hands, stopping him. She nods her head, saying it's okay.</p><p>"It's also no secret that the relationship between Liz and I did not end well," Natalie continues," no doubt some of you are surprised to see me here as much as I am surprised to be here."</p><p>Natalie looks around, the discomfort visibly growing in the audience.</p><p>"It's no secret that I don't believe in a lot of things," she continues, "I value the tangible. Theories I can prove with great certainty. Life is uncertain enough that we should cling to any nugget of truth we can find."</p><p>"Best speech ever," Maze says before taking the last gulp of her glass.</p><p>Natalie turns to her, "Shut up, or help me," she whispers.</p><p>Maze chuckles.</p><p>Natalie turns back and looks around at the crowd. They look at her like they don't like what she is saying.</p><p>Like she is ruining the wedding.</p><p>"My beliefs are based on fact," Natalie says, shrugging.</p><p>She tosses them a small, appeasing smile. This is as uncomfortable for them as it is her.</p><p>"Observational data," Natalie says nodding, "My job functions on it. <em>I</em> function on it. For me to believe something, I need proof. Undeniable, authentic proof."</p><p>She pauses and looks around, having no idea where this is going. She raises her hand up to her neck, holding onto the heat from being embarrassed and tipsy.</p><p>"I uhm," she says looking back towards Liz and Maggie.</p><p>They stare at her with pity, their hands intertwined. Her eyes move down to their hands, locked and adorned with newly gifted gemstones.</p><p>She nods to herself and sighs.</p><p>"The sky is blue," she says, her eyebrows furrowed and a stable sadness in her heart.</p><p>It is the only stable feeling she has had this evening, and despite it not being a good one, it's enough to provide her with the clarity she needs.</p><p>The closure she so desired.</p><p>"The earth is round," Natalie says looking up, turning her eyes to Maze.</p><p>"and the champagne is free."</p><p><em>Liz was never mine</em>, she thinks.</p><p>Liz was the something borrowed.</p><p>The crowd lets go of a tense chuckle. Their frowns starting to soften, but their eyes held a certain air of reservation.</p><p>"There are certain things that … are inarguable," Natalie says, turning back to Liz and Maggie. "So … when I say that I believe that Liz and Maggie love each other with every fiber of their being, I can say that with a great deal of certainty."</p><p>The crowd breathes a sigh of relief, and the tenseness in the room starts to fade.</p><p>Liz and Maggie look at each other, smiling.</p><p>"I know more about these two individuals than probably anyone in this room," Natalie says, looking around to verify, "and If I were to attend anybody's wedding with my personal belief that it is futile, it would be them."</p><p><em>Because they give me hope</em>, she wants to say.</p><p>But she doesn't.</p><p>She is aware it would sound good. She is aware it would be the perfect ending to a mediocre speech.</p><p>But it would be a lie.</p><p><em>They</em> did not give her hope. Liz had given her hope.</p><p>Hope that life could be fixed, made better with hard work.</p><p>Hope that the feeling in the pit of her gut that had been trying to claw itself out all night could be healed. That it could be filled and sealed and planted over with flowers and vegetables.</p><p>But it isn't.</p><p>Perhaps it will never be.</p><p><em>But at least they made it out</em>, she thinks, a sad smile coming to her face.</p><p>The sadness in her breaks way into a stoic resignation.</p><p><em>This is how life is</em>, she thinks.</p><p>Liz wasn't her person and maybe never was. They had dated for five years and gotten nowhere. Now, two years after she had left, two years after Liz had walked out of their shared apartment and gotten into a taxi to take her to Maggie's apartment, she was standing giving an impromptu speech at their wedding.</p><p>She furrows her eyebrows, her mind thinking.</p><p>
  <em>They were never meant to be.</em>
</p><p>Suddenly that loss that she had stored inside her bones like marrow feels more like … <em>freedom</em>. Like she had weathered the storm only to find she was still standing.</p><p>Like life had thrown everything it could at her, and still, she dared to stand defiant in its face say, "Not today."</p><p>She was strong.</p><p>Liz was <em>not</em> her person.</p><p>Natalie smiles slowly at the realization and nods.</p><p>"I truly … <em>truly</em> am happy for you two," she says directed at them, "and I thank you for giving me the gift of witnessing you two beginning a new adventure together."</p><p>She nods to herself and turns to the man standing a few feet from her.</p><p>"I'm going to wash my hands now," she says before handing the mic to him.</p><p>The crowd laughs and claps.</p><p>"Well,<em> that</em> was a rollercoaster, right," the moderator says, laughing to himself, "anyone else?"</p><p>Natalie turns to Maze for a moment and sets her clutch on her seat, "Watch my purse," she says before turning and leaving.</p><p>Maze turns and watches her go, briefly wondering if she should follow. She decides against it and turns back to see Liz and Maggie kissing. She narrows her eyes.</p><p>She's starting to see why Natalie hates public displays of affection.</p><p>What feels like a century later, but is probably more like five minutes, Natalie comes back and sits down next to Maze. She moves her clutch and sets it in her lap as she scoots in. Her plate of food is already on the table.</p><p>"You okay?" Maze says, mid-chew as she watches Natalie, trying to read her.</p><p>"Yeah," Natalie says, "how's the food?'</p><p>Maze shrugs, "It's food," she says, picking up a sprig of asparagus with her fork and biting it off with a flare.</p><p>Natalie smiles before turning to her plate of salmon and rice and reaching for her knife and fork.</p><p>"That was some speech," Maze says.</p><p>"It was charming," the woman sitting next to Natalie says, "but maybe leave out the whole not believing in weddings thing."</p><p>Natalie chuckles, and Maze looks at her, her eyes squinting. Natalie seemed calmer and more collected than previously. Like she had found the zipper of her existence and zipped herself right up. Her hair is still messy, and her cheeks are flush with the effects of all the champagne she has had so far, but the air around her is free and light.</p><p>Maze watches, her eyes moving down Natalie's body and landing again on the loose curl popping out of a somewhat tidy French braid.</p><p>Without thinking, she sets her fork down and reaches over to tuck the curl back into Natalie's French braid.</p><p>Natalie, who is in mid-bite, pauses and slowly turns to Maze. Maze looks intent on what she is doing. Once she has shimmied and properly stuck the loose curl back into her braid, her eyes fall onto a shocked Natalie.</p><p>Only then does it become apparent what she just did.</p><p>They stare at one another, again reading each other's eyes.</p><p>"You … you had a loose hair," Maze says, "I just figured-"</p><p>"Yeah, no, thanks," Natalie says, turning to the full glass of champagne that magically appeared during her absence. She brings it up and takes a sip.</p><p>"How come you don't look at me like that anymore?" Maze hears.</p><p>She turns to see a woman nodding towards Maze while talking to her husband.</p><p>Maze clears her throat and reaches out to her glass of champagne before downing it.</p><p>
  <strong>----</strong>
</p><p>Inside her living room, Chloe and Trixie are playing a board game that Trixie is winning.</p><p>"Oh, come on!" Chloe says.</p><p>Trixie smiles and gathers her pieces from Chloe's side of the table, leaving her effectively with no pieces.</p><p>"Sorry, those are the rules," Trixie says with a grin on her face.</p><p>"Well, I don't have any more chips, so that means you won … <em>again</em>," Chloe says.</p><p>Trixie laughs.</p><p>"Okay, I think I understand the rule this time. Next round, I'm going to whip your butt," Chloe says.</p><p>The doorbell rings and Chloe sighs, "when you get back, that is," she says as she stands up.</p><p>"Go get your bag," Chloe says as she walks to the door, and Trixie hops to her bedroom.</p><p>Chloe opens the door and is met with a smiling Dan.</p><p>"Hey, sorry I'm a bit late," he says.</p><p>"No problem," she responds with a smile as he walks in, "She's just getting her bag."</p><p>Dan peaks over to Trixie's direction for a second before turning to Chloe.</p><p>"How is Jillian?" Chloe says with a smile.</p><p>Dan smiles, "She's good, yeah. She keeps asking me about meeting Trix, but I think it's too soon."</p><p>Chloe nods, "Yeah, maybe in a few months. You know, when you see where things are going."</p><p>Dan nods.</p><p>Chloe smiles, reaches a handout rubs his arm.</p><p>"I <em>really</em> like her," Dan says, as if telling a secret and being frustrated by it.</p><p>Chloe smiles widely, "Yeah?"</p><p>Dan nods, "I just … after Charlotte I-"</p><p>Trixie comes running from around the corner.</p><p>"Ready!" Trixie says as she approaches him and hugs him.</p><p>She is getting taller.</p><p>"You are?" Dan says, putting on a smile, "Let's go then." He says, ushering Trixie towards the door.</p><p>Dan nods and turns to Chloe. She smiles at him and pats him on the arm as he turns to leave.</p><p>"Have fun!" she says.</p><p>Trixie pauses and turns to Chloe halfway through the door.</p><p>"Are you sure you'll be okay without me?" she asks.</p><p>Chloe's smile falls, "Of course," she says softly before reaching out and delicately caressing Trixie's face.</p><p>"Go on, I'll see you Sunday," she says.</p><p>Trixie reluctantly nods and turns to leave. Dan and Chloe catch eyes, and she sends him a soft smile before he nods, turns, and leaves.</p><p>Chloe shuts the door.</p><p>When the door shuts, and she is left alone in her apartment she turns to her kitchen. She looks out at the messy table and the dirty dishes in the sink and sighs. She didn't have the energy to clean.</p><p>She pushes herself off the door and shuffles over to the couch, where she plops down and turns on the TV. She stares mindlessly at it, as if all joy in her life has been sucked from her.</p><p>Eventually, the television's soft drone and the otherwise silence of her apartment lull her into sleep. She willingly goes, wanting to be unconscious and unaware instead of conscious and painfully aware that she is alone.</p><p>That he is still gone.</p><p>-------</p><p> </p><p>Natalie's apartment door opens, and an exhausted Natalie, her arm draped around Maze's shoulder, stumbles into her apartment.</p><p>"Oh," she says, letting go of Maze and using the counter to hold her balance as she reaches down and slips her one of her heels off.</p><p>"Oh, I'm so happy today is over," Natalie continues, "No more Liz, no more Maggie."</p><p>Maze closes the door behind her and turns to Natalie. Natalie stumbles as she takes off her other shoe.</p><p>Maze sighs and walks to the fridge before reaching inside and grabbing a pitcher full of cold water.</p><p>"Where do you keep your glasses?" Maze says, turning and opening up cupboards.</p><p>"And no more <em>you</em>," Natalie says.</p><p>Maze pauses and turns as Natalie stumbles to her couch and collapses.</p><p>"Hey, <em>person who can't hold their booze</em>, where do you keep your glasses?" Maze says, annoyed.</p><p>Natalie raises her arms and points to the kitchen wildly.</p><p>"Above the sink," she says before her arm collapses and disappears behind the couch's cushion.</p><p>Maze turns to see nothing above the sink. She sighs and moves to the closest cabinet. She opens it and finds the glasses.</p><p>She pours the water into a glass before setting the pitcher on the counter and walking to the couch.</p><p>She approaches and peeks over to finds a somewhat drunk Natalie, who has completely given up on her French braid at this point, draped across the couch.</p><p>The remainder of her once tidy French braid is held up by just a few loose plaits. And her feet, no doubt sore from wearing heels all day, are angled up on the sofa's edge.</p><p>"Here, drink this," Maze says, handing the water to Natalie.</p><p>Natalie sits up and grabs the glass, "Don't tell me what to do," she says as she takes a sip.</p><p>Maze scoffs amused at Natalie's stubbornness but doesn't say anything. Instead, she takes a moment to glance around Natalie's apartment. She had been here a few times but hadn't really taken it in. The walls were bare, and everything felt almost like she was staying in a hotel and not someone's apartment.</p><p>Maze furrows her eyebrows.</p><p>"How come you don't have anything on the walls?" she asks.</p><p>Natalie takes a gulp then looks around. She shakes her head before leaning over to the coffee table and setting the glass down.</p><p>"I don't know. What should I have?" she asks.</p><p>Maze shrugs, "I don't know. Pictures? Paintings? Something."</p><p>"What's the point? It all has to come down when I move," Natalie says, falling back to lay onto the couch.</p><p>"Oh," Maze says, "where are you moving to?"</p><p>She shifts on her feet, trying not to look interested as she crosses her arms.</p><p>Natalie shakes her head, "Nowhere, but if I wanted to, it would be easy."</p><p>Maze tilts her head, confused.</p><p>"So … you don't have things on the walls for when you move, but you don't intend on moving?" she asks.</p><p>Natalie nods and slowly sits up. She takes a long deep stretch before sighing.</p><p>She turns to see Maze watching her.</p><p>She lowers her arms, and they stare in silence for a second.</p><p>"I uhm … I appreciate you coming to Liz's wedding with me. Free drinks notwithstanding," she says, as she slowly moves to stand.</p><p>Maze nods and briefly glances at her shoes as she rocks back and forth on her feet.</p><p>"Hey, you had me at 'free drinks,'" she says, shrugging.</p><p>Natalie chuckles.</p><p>"I uhm … I'm not really great with gratitude, but … you have it if you want," Natalie says.</p><p>Maze shrugs, "I'll take it."</p><p>Natalie smiles and nods, "Well, It's been a long day, and I think I'm going to go to bed. Do you … do you need me to call you a cab or…?"</p><p>Maze smiles and shakes her head. She crosses her arms.</p><p>"I uhm, was hoping we could uhm …I don't know, hang out a little. Night cap?"</p><p>Natalie chuckles, "I think I've had enough to drink for one weekend," Natalie says, "besides, I have to work tomorrow."</p><p>Maze shakes her head, "You work every day."</p><p>"Oh, congratulations, Ms. Smith, you've found my point," Natalie says.</p><p>"Funny," Maze replies flatly.</p><p>Natalie laughs at her own joke before walking around the couch.</p><p>"It was a good day," she says, heading towards the door, "Well, mostly. But I had fun."</p><p><em>Fun</em>, she thinks as she walks towards the door.</p><p>When was the last time she had fun?</p><p>She opens the door.</p><p>"The fun doesn't have to end," Maze says.</p><p>Natalie opens her mouth to say something before turning around and seeing Maze cast off the sheer shirt she is wearing, leaving her only with a small, leather bustier as a top.</p><p>Natalie looks her over, and suddenly she doesn't look as drunk as she is.</p><p>'Uhm," she says, trying to will her eyes upward towards Maze's face and not her …</p><p><em>Fuck,</em> her body is nice.</p><p>"This … <em>this </em>can't happen," she says, peeling her eyes up to Maze's.</p><p>"Why not?" Maze asks.</p><p>"Because I'm… because I'm your superior and-"</p><p>"It's not like we haven't done it before. Besides, I can keep a secret."</p><p>Natalie shakes her head, her eyes going back down Maze's body, trying to get a second glance. Maze smiles a little at how Natalie is looking at her.</p><p>Natalie closes her eyes and turns her head before shaking it.</p><p>"That was a mistake," she says.</p><p>"Did you not enjoy yourself?" Maze asks.</p><p>"No I-"</p><p>"No, you didn't enjoy yourself?" she frowns.</p><p>Natalie opens her eyes and cautiously glances at Maze. Her heart audibly thumping in her ears. Her eyes crawl down Maze's body again, hunger bleeding through her glance. Maze sees it and reaches down and slowly unzips the side of her leather bustier.</p><p>So slow, that if Natalie <em>truly</em> wanted to stop her, she could. But she doesn't.</p><p>Instead, she just stares, her eyes on Maze's hands and her lids getting heavy with desire. When Maze gets to the bottom of the zipper, the bustier pops open, and she discards it, leaving her completely topless.</p><p>"I don't… I don't think it's appropriate we start a sexual relationship. We- we are coworkers. That is a recipe for disaster.," Natalie says with her lips, her eyes saying something else as she looks at Maze.</p><p>Visually consuming her inch by inch.</p><p>"It's not a sexual relationship. Just sex. We're adults, right? We can have sex without the emotional attachment," Maze says.</p><p>"It's the best kind," Natalie says, flatly.</p><p>Her eyes still focused on Maze's body.</p><p>"Exactly. So why fight it? I'm a sure thing. I won't get attached…," she says.</p><p>Natalie turns her eyes to the door, trying to break her vision. Her resolve slipping.</p><p><em>God</em>, she wanted to play. Even more, the champagne in her system only makes the blood rushing between her legs more noticeable.</p><p>"and I can take the pain," Maze says, "in fact, I kind of like it."</p><p>Natalie pauses before turning to Maze. Maze can see it, the reservation in her eyes is sliding, and there is a dark lust there, threatening to be free.</p><p>Maze reaches down and begins to unbutton her pants. She pops the top button and flips the cloth down, revealing her black lace underwear.</p><p>"Look," Maze says, "all the bruises are long gone. Don't you want to put more on me?"</p><p>"I … I don't need another scandal at the precinct," Natalie says.</p><p>"We aren't at the precinct, though. Are we, Mistress?"</p><p>Natalie groans, stepping back as she holds onto the door, those words affecting her more than they should.</p><p>Especially coming from Maze's lips. Maze was asking to be controlled.</p><p>To be commanded.</p><p>There is something inside of Natalie that <em>really</em> wants to command her.</p><p>She raises her head and stares at Maze. Maze grins, knowing she has her.</p><p>Natalie laughs to herself, as if knowing she's been trapped.</p><p>Maze nods.</p><p>"Yeah? You know you want to," Maze says.</p><p>"You're evil," Natalie says.</p><p>"I'm a demon, what do you expect?" Maze asks.</p><p>Natalie takes one last look at Maze before turning her head to the door and gently pushing it closed. It latches, and she turns back to Maze.</p><p>"Let's get a few things straight," she says in a voice that demands attention, "If we do this, there are certain rules you have to abide by."</p><p>Maze shakes her head, "I don't like rules."</p><p>"I know," Natalie coos as she approaches Maze, "which is precisely why you are going to follow them."</p><p>Maze scoffs, amused, and narrows her eyes.</p><p>Natalie's eyes move down to the black heels Maze is currently wearing all over her crème carpet.</p><p>"Take your shoes off," she says sternly.</p><p>Maze doesn't move, her arms crossed as if not willing to be bossed around. In bed, sure, that was fun. But they weren't even naked now. Well, not all the way.</p><p>Natalie sees that Maze isn't moving and approaches her, a sternness in her eyes, indicating she is not fucking around.</p><p>"When you come into my apartment, take your shoes off and put them by the door," Natalie says, turning to the shoe rack by the door.</p><p>"Now, take your shoes off," she says again.</p><p>Her words sound deep and final, but soft at the same time. As if her command were for Maze's benefit, not Natalie's.</p><p>Maze immediately feels a tingle starting to develop between her legs, and slowly she starts to get it. The tension is pungent. It was like she had been craving ice cream and suddenly got her first taste in a long time.</p><p>"No," Maze says, very much wanting to say yes.</p><p>Very much wanting to take her shoes off, wanting to lean in and lock lips with Natalie. Still, the game was fun. She wanted to see how far she could push it.</p><p>Natalie scoffs, amused, and moves away from Maze.</p><p>"I thought you wanted to do this?" Natalie asks.</p><p>"I do," Maze says.</p><p>"Then take your <em>fucking </em>shoes off," Natalie says, her voice louder and more demanding.</p><p>She is absolutely not messing around.</p><p>The smile on Maze's face immediately falls. It was funny before, but now she is annoyed and somewhat shocked by how authoritative Natalie is being. Her eyebrows furrow, and her face grimaces. It reveals her shock and growing discontent.</p><p>Natalie sees it and backs off.</p><p>"Sorry," she says, her voice less demanding, "I … I should probably be a bit gentler with you to begin with."</p><p>She looks at Maze before turning her eyes to her bedroom.</p><p>"One moment," she says as she turns and disappears into her bedroom doorway.</p><p>Maze stands there, an exciting jitter in her legs. She doesn't know what to do with that. She hadn't been this excited about something since she got her first set of real blades. She remembers being so eager to use them, to torture.</p><p>Now she felt just as eager, and if the moisture developing between her legs was anything to go on, this night would be equally as satisfying as the previous one.</p><p>Except this time, it seems Natalie isn't too drunk to do a bit of foreplay. That is what this is, right? <em>Foreplay? </em></p><p>Natalie returns from her bedroom, stripped down to just her red lacey underwear. In her hand lays a pair of thick leather cuffs. Maze sees them, and a smile crawls across her face.</p><p><em>Oh</em>, she thinks.</p><p>Natalie approaches and stands in front of Maze.</p><p>"Take your shoes off," she says softly.</p><p>There is a demand in her voice, but its offset by a nurturing softness. Maze drops her eyes to the cuffs in Natalie's hand, then back up to a patiently waiting Natalie.</p><p>She recognizes what it is, a reward. Like one would give a dog a treat after it learned to sit.</p><p>"Fine," Maze says, rolling her eyes, trying to pretend it was something she didn't want to do – follow orders.</p><p>She leans down and unties her shoes before walking over to the shoe rack and placing them there.</p><p>"Happy?" she asks.</p><p>Natalie smiles, "Good. Now come here," Natalie says, pointing to a spot on the floor.</p><p>Maze sighs and reluctantly walks back to the spot Natalie is pointing at.</p><p>"Give me your hands," Natalie says.</p><p>Maze reaches out her wrists, "Cuff me," she says, her eyes falling to Natalie's Lips.</p><p>Then her eyes fall further down to the revealing lace of Natalie's bra. It leaves very little to the imagination. Natalie's nipples are covered only by the sheer lace fabric. Here she can see them clearly, soft and only slightly darker than her skin tone.</p><p>Her eyes continue to fall further before stopping and landing on the deep and jagged scar across Natalie's abdomen. It was odd, but it was also kind of hot. She imagines she was in some car wreck, or maybe ran into a knife-wielding maniac as a beat cop. She wanted to lick it, to trace her tongue across the raised edges.</p><p>Natalie sees the hunger in Maze's eyes and smiles as she slips the first cuff onto Maze's left wrist.</p><p>"What is your safe word?" Natalie asks.</p><p>"I don't need one," Maze says, her eyes moving back to Natalie's smile.</p><p>Natalie looks at her, her eyes burning a hole into Maze's skull. She isn't amused. It is a different type of power she wields here. In the precinct, she was authoritative, but her authority wasn't final, and she knew that.</p><p>Here, Natalie's word was final, and she intends on it being final.</p><p>"Fine," Maze says, thinking, seeing the change in Natalie's mood.</p><p>She thinks for far too long before shrugging, "oorgawe," she says.</p><p>Natalie raises an eyebrow as she moves to put the cuff on the other wrist.</p><p>"oorgawe? I … I don't think I've ever heard that one, are you sure?"</p><p>"It's the Lilim word for surrender. As in, if I say it, I surrender. We hardly ever use it, it's more like a curse word than anything but … that's what it means."</p><p>"Okay," Natalie says, trying to figure out if there is a language called Lilim.</p><p>Not the choice she'd make but, it's Maze's word, not hers.</p><p>Natalie finishes tying the cuffs around Maze's wrists, and lets go. Maze looks at her cuffs. They are thick and padded, and both of the cuffs have a single golden ring in its center.</p><p>"Finish taking those off," Natalie says, nodding to Maze's pants.</p><p>Maze turns to her.<em> Finally, </em>she thinks.</p><p>She reaches down and pulls the fabric of her pants off before stepping out of them and kicking them to the side.</p><p>Natalie turns to the pair of pants and narrows her eyes. She turns back to Maze.</p><p>"I said take them off, not throw them off," she says.</p><p>Maze's smile falls.</p><p>She turns to look at her pants.</p><p>"Are you serious?" she asks.</p><p>Natalie stares at her blankly, unmoving, and a seriousness behind her eyes that is hard to argue. Maze sighs and shakes her head before she walks over to the pants and picks them up. She looks around for a moment before sloppily folding them and placing them on the back of the couch.</p><p>"Better?" she asks, annoyed.</p><p>Natalie nods, "For now."</p><p>Natalie approaches Maze before reaching a handout and touching the unblemished skin on her abdomen.</p><p>She strokes it gently as if checking its sturdiness. Then, without warning, she reels her hand back and slaps it hard. Maze doesn't flinch, she just smiles widely. It doesn't leave a red blush like it should. Natalie will have to smack harder.</p><p>"Mmm," Natalie hums before leaning in to passionately kiss Maze.</p><p>Maze responds by wrapping her hand around Natalie's lower back.</p><p>Natalie immediately reaches out and pulls Maze's arms off her before pinning them to Maze's side.</p><p>She pulls back, biting down on Maze's bottom lip and pulling it with her until it stretches as far as it can go and snaps back.</p><p>"Don't touch me unless I tell you," Natalie says.</p><p>Maze guffaws, exceptionally pleased but also indicating that might not happen.</p><p>"Your skin is bare. We have to fix that," Natalie says, her eyes turning back to Maze.</p><p>"Just so you know," Maze says, "I can get out of these cuffs."</p><p>Natalie smiles and steps closer, her mouth tantalizingly close to Maze's lips. Maze's eyes drop down to them, wanting to lean out and kiss them. Yet, somehow she feels that would make Natalie angry, upset. Oddly, she cared to not make Natalie upset.</p><p>Natalie smiles, leaning closer until Maze can feel Natalie's breath on her lips.</p><p>"But you won't," Natalie says as if she has Maze right where she wants her.</p><p>Natalie watches her for a second, and there they stand, neither of them making a move. A small smile starts to curl onto Natalie's mouth as she sees the way that Maze's eyes keep snapping down to her lips. It is clear Maze wanted to, she wanted to so badly but didn't want to admit it.</p><p>"I'm so wet," Maze says, "I've been wet since I saw you in that dress."</p><p>Natalie smiles widely until she bares her teeth and grins pleased. Suddenly, Maze snaps and closes the small distance between them. Their lips crash together in a carnal passion.</p><p>There isn't love here, just lust.</p><p>Just desire.</p><p>"Mm," Natalie moans into Maze's lips, before separating from her and reaching down to hook her finger inside the gold loop on the left wrist.</p><p>Then she reaches down, pulls Maze's right wrist up, and hooks her other finger from the same hand. Here she starts to back up, leading Maze to her bedroom via the hooks.</p><p>"Let me guess, you're going to fuck me like you own me?" Maze says, smiling.</p><p>Natalie just stares at Maze as she leads her back into her bedroom.</p><p>"Let me show you where these hooks go," she says.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>-----</strong>
</p><p>On her sofa, Chloe sleeps on her side, her knees tucked and pulled up to her chest. The light from the TV flashes onto her face, but it doesn't seem to bother her. By all accounts, it looks as though she is sleeping soundly, but the ease in which she is pulled from her sleep by a gentle knock at her door indicates she is not. She groans and turns to the TV as the nightly news plays.</p><p>She furrows her eyebrow and sits up.</p><p>She hears the knock again and turns to the door.</p><p>"Maze," she says, sighing as she stands and shuffles to the door, "Did you forget your key again? I keep telling you to put it on a key chain or at the very least, hook it to one of your knives. You never-"</p><p>She opens the door and swings it open to be faced with a sheepish Lucifer.</p><p>"-lose that," she says, staring at him.</p><p>
  <em>Was this a dream?</em>
</p><p>"Chloe," he says sweetly, his eyes apologetic.</p><p>She lets go of the door and slowly approaches him, her eyes staring at him as if he weren't real. He watches her as she takes tentative steps forward, holding her breath as if a single exhale would make him disappear. As if he were so fragile that he, at any moment, could split into a thousand grains of sand, and even an exhale would carry him away on the wind.</p><p>"Apologies for making you wait so long, Darling, but ... I had some business to attend to at LUX," he says.</p><p>She reaches out and lays a hand on him, to feel the firmness of his chest.</p><p>The solidity of his reality.</p><p>When her fingers find the fabric of his shirt, she pats it, still unsure if this is real.</p><p>This felt real. It didn't feel like a dream.</p><p>He reaches out and cups his hand on the side of her face, brushing her hair aside. She leans into it like it were her only lifeline. Her eyes begin to well with tears, her lungs aching like it were her first breath in months.</p><p>"I'm sorry," he says, breaking the silence between them.</p><p>"I would never leave-"</p><p>Before he can't finish, she closes the distance between them quickly and plants herself around him. She jolts his body, making him gasp before reaching her arms around him and locking them into place. Here she allows herself to weep into his chest. It is tears of joy, but also sorrow and fear.</p><p>He wraps his arms around her and leans his head down onto hers.</p><p>"I know,' he says, "but I would die a thousand times if it meant I could age with you."</p><p>She doesn't respond, she just stands there weeping into his chest. They stand there for a few minutes until Chloe's cries have faded, and she just stands there, cradled in his arms.</p><p>"Perhaps we should move this inside?" he asks.</p><p>She nods and pulls away from him, sniffling. She doesn't let him go, only separates from him enough that they can walk into the apartment and shut the door behind them.</p><p>Once inside, Chloe goes back to holding him.</p><p>"I missed you," she says, holding him tightly.</p><p>"I wish I could say the same, but it feels like I've only popped down to the store."</p><p>"You were gone for three months this time," she says.</p><p>"Yes," he says, "I am aware."</p><p>"Promise me you won't leave me again," she says, her eyebrows furrowed.</p><p>He doesn't say anything, he is just silent. She lets go of him a bit, just enough to pull her head up and lock eyes with him. He stares at her, regret in his eyes.</p><p>"You know I won't lie to you," he says, "I can't make that promise."</p><p>She shakes her head and backs away from him.</p><p>"Every time you die, you disappear," she says, upset, " You disappear, and I have to … <em>live</em> knowing you are dead. Not knowing where you are. Amenadiel told me you weren't in hell."</p><p>"I'm sorry," Lucifer says, "I can't do anything about that."</p><p>"You can promise me!" she says, her voice cracking with grief.</p><p>He was back, but this all felt temporary. Like he would be gone again at any moment. She couldn't properly be joyful for his return if she knew he would leave again.</p><p>He shakes his head, "I won't lie to you."</p><p>Her lip quivers, and she shakes her head.</p><p>"I can't watch you die again, I won't," she says, the anger pulling through her tears.</p><p>"Who knows how long you will be gone next time. A month? A year? What if you never come back?"</p><p>Lucifer approaches her, trying to pull her into a hug.</p><p>"I will always come back," he begins, but she pulls away from him.</p><p>"Don't," she says, her grief giving way to anger.</p><p>His shoulders drop, and he watches her as she brings a hand up to her head.</p><p>"I can't do this again," she says as if his with a sudden realization. Her eyes wide.</p><p>"I can't ... I just can't,' she says, shaking her head, her words cracking as sorrow begins to pull at her lips.</p><p>"Think of what we can have once I am fully mortal. We can do all those insanely normal things like going to the park, watching a movie, and having <em>truly </em>drunk sex."</p><p>The anger in her eyes begins to fade.</p><p>"We can go for long walks on the beach, talk about our desires, make them a reality," he continues.</p><p>"We can do all of that now," she says, shaking her head.</p><p>"We can grow old together, Chloe," he says, the hope in his heart coming through, "we can build a life … a family of our own."</p><p>Chloe stares at him.</p><p>"You hate kids," she says, a stillness in her as if she is finally listening.</p><p>"But I love you," he says.</p><p>He pulls her close, but this time she doesn't fight him.</p><p>"and I love me," he says.</p><p>Chuckles through her tears.</p><p>"and whatever we create together will be far better than anything <em>anyone </em>has ever made."</p><p>She reaches a handout and rests it on his chest. Her smile slowly falls.</p><p>"I'm scared," she admits, turning her eyes up to him, "I don't want to lose you again. I <em>can't</em> lose you again. I won't watch you die on me again."</p><p>He smiles and pulls her head to rest on his chest. He wraps her arms around him.</p><p>"I would do anything for you, you know that," he says.</p><p>She sighs and holds him tighter. They stand in that silence, gently rocking until all hesitation and resistance in her body is gone, and she basks in having him here.</p><p>In smelling his cologne and feeling the warmth of his body.</p><p>"Chloe?" he asks.</p><p>"Hmm?" she says, her eyes closed and her body melted into his.</p><p>"I want this to work. I <em>really</em> want this to work," he says.</p><p>"Me too," she says softly, sadly.</p><p>Fully aware that it won't.</p><p>Her heart is telling her he was back, it was okay now, but her mind knew different.</p><p>This, too, was temporary.</p><p>"If this is going to work, I need you to promise me something," he says.</p><p>Immediately her body tenses up, and her eyes pop open. He feels the tension in her and pulls away. She stares up at him with horror, shaking her head.</p><p>"Promise me you'll-"</p><p>"No," she says, pulling away from him, "No. I don't want to know," she says.</p><p>"Chloe," he says, trying to gather her attention.</p><p>"I don't want to know! I won't do it!" she says, upset in a manner he doesn't understand.</p><p>"Detective, this is important," he says, his eyebrows furrowed.</p><p>"Don't make me," she says, the anger giving way to sadness again.</p><p>He approaches her, wrapping his hands around her shoulder to hold her steady.</p><p>"Please," he says, "If this is going to work, you have to promise me. I need your word."</p><p>"Please, Lucifer," she whimpers, "Don't make me."</p><p>"Promise me, Chloe," he says, "Promise me you'll never trade your life for my own."</p><p>She inhales sharply.</p><p>There it is.</p><p>She shakes her head no, she can't.</p><p><em>She won't</em>. Not when she knows she will break it.</p><p>"Promise me," he says, staring a hole into her, his eyes serious, "If this is going to work, If I am going to stay, I need you to promise me."</p><p>She shakes her head no," Lucifer, I- I can't," she says, tears flowing freely from her eyes.</p><p>"My father has it out for me, Detective," he says," but I won't take you down with me."</p><p>"Lucifer, please," she begs, "Don't make me."</p><p>"Promise me," he says, shaking her once, hoping it will knock some sense into her. The seriousness in his eyes fades into neediness.</p><p>She cries, tears falling down her face, her eyes locked on his as he stares at her.</p><p>"Please," he says, "promise me."</p><p>She wants him to stay. She wants him to hold her all night. She wants to feel his arms wrapped around her as she slept and the low beating of his breath on her neck.</p><p>"I can come back," he says, "If I die I will come back. It might be months, but …I will always come back. But you … Chloe, I can't follow you."</p><p>"Please don't make me," she weeps.</p><p>He pulls her closer to him.</p><p>"Please," he begs.</p><p>He locks her arm around her, she cries into his chest.</p><p>"Say it," he says, his voice cracking.</p><p>Her tears stop, and she stares forward, numb again.</p><p>She wants him to stay.</p><p>She wants him to stay with her, and the only way to do that, the only way to keep him here and safe in her arms, is to lie.</p><p>"I promise," she says, the feeling behind it gone and empty.</p><p>He pulls her in tighter, relief in his body. She turns, resting her head on his shoulder and staring out into the kitchen behind him. Her arms fall, loosely wrapping around his back.</p><p>There is a mix of emotions in her mind, all fighting for primacy in her eyes. None of them win though, there are too many. Instead, she is blank, numb.</p><p>And she stares out, an emptiness behind her eyes until slowly that numbness gives way to fear.</p><p>Fear of what might come next.</p><p>Fear that this isn't over.</p><p>Fear of wondering what might happen if … <em>when</em> she betrays the devil.</p><p>
  <strong>----</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>Inside his apartment, a tired Dan shuffles into the kitchen and turns the light off. He shuffles back into the bedroom and turns his head as he walks to the bathroom. He sees a sleeping Trixie curled up on his side of the bed.</p><p>He chuckles to himself and moves into the bathroom. Here he lifts the toothbrush and brushes his teeth, momentarily turning to make sure Trixie is still asleep.</p><p>He sighs, and once he is done, he sets his toothbrush in place and cuts off the light to the bathroom.</p><p>He shuffles over to the bed, carefully lifts the blanket and slides beneath the covers. He gets into a comfortable position and stares at the ceiling. He stares at it for a very long time, his mind racing. Eventually, the stillness of the room makes his lids heavy. Slowly they shut before popping open again. He blinks and then turns to the dresser.</p><p>Here he opens the drawer and pulls out the bottle of pills. He opens it, pops one into his mouth, and dryly swallows before sealing the bottle and putting it back in the drawer. Then, he reaches over and cuts off the lamp on the side table near his bed.</p><p>Dan then turns and gets himself situated on his back.</p><p>He stares back at the wall for a moment before willingly closing his eyes.</p><p>Slowly, he begins to drift and right as he is on the precipice of falling asleep, his eyebrows furrow.</p><p>He is met with the overwhelming sensation that there is something else in the room, watching him.</p><p>Slowly, cautiously, he opens his eyes and stares at the ceiling. His chest rises and falls, panic slowly starting to fill his bones. He turns to see if Trixie is still asleep if it is just him that feels this.</p><p>Instead, his eyes immediately go past her, to the corner of the room where darkness seems to take shape.</p><p>The room is dark, but this corner is darker.</p><p>It feels like it stares back at him, growing and growing until its not just the corner anymore. It's part of the ceiling and part of the floor.</p><p>He blinks his eyes, wondering if he sees this correctly.</p><p>"Why did you let Malcolm hurt me, daddy?" he hears a whisper in his ear say. It ... it sounds like Trixie.</p><p>He turns his eyes to her to see her still peacefully asleep.</p><p>"I almost died because of you," he hears, a whisper that echoes in his ear.</p><p>"Because of you," the whisper says again, the tone sounding like Trixie's voice but darker.</p><p>"It's all your fault," the voice says again, but this time it clearly isn't Trixie's.</p><p>It's gruff and deep, and angry.</p><p>Dan immediately turns around and cuts on the lamp by his bedside table and light filters into the room.</p><p>He turns to look in the corner to find nothing is there, just a plant.</p><p>He catches his breath and looks around for a moment, then turns back to Trixie.</p><p>She is still fast asleep.</p><p>He falls flat on his back on the bed and gets his breathing under control before turning his head towards the lamp.</p><p>He looks at it, wondering if he should turn it off again.</p><p>It only takes a second for him to decide he will leave it on.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Only a few more chapters! We are halfway through the end of this giant ass saga. Thanks again to everyone who has been keeping up with me so far. I promise my fics will be shorter from now on. I learned my lesson! :P</p><p>Follow me on hrfiction.tumblr.com to see updates on this fic and others!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Forgiveness</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Natalie and Maze do the nasty. Lucifer and Chloe continue their “exploration,” Ella struggles with an important decision, Maze starts to pick up on small clues about Natalie’s past, Liz and Natalie have a fight that leaves Maze to pick up the pieces, Linda and Maze have a heart to heart</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Just wanted to give a warning about this chapter. There is a discussion of sexual assault and the hard "R" word is used. </p><p>follow me on Tumblr for chapter updates on this fic and others https://hrfiction.tumblr.com/</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>--------</p><p> </p><p>Inside Natalie’s bedroom, two golden rings jut out from hidden compartments in the headboard. Attached to them are the cuffs tightly locked around Maze’s wrists.</p><p>Maze lays there, her head tossed back and mouth open. She moans and lifts her head up to gaze down between her legs, where an attentive Natalie flicks and laps her tongue across Maze’s clit.</p><p>“Shit,” Maze gasps, her hips gyrating into Natalie’s movement.</p><p>Natalie snaps her eyes up, her stare dark and hungry.</p><p>“You’re good at that … for a human,” Maze huffs.</p><p>The corners of Natalie’s eyes crease, and she licks one long lap up Maze’s pussy before her teeth settle on the hairless skin above her clit. She bites hard, harder than she would with most people, but Maze seems to really enjoy it. Maze’s body tenses, and she arches up, a pleased hiss at the pain.</p><p>Natalie then sits back and slaps the sensitive skin on Maze’s inner thighs.</p><p>“You keep talking like that, and I’m going to have to bring out the hard stuff,” she says, licking her fingers before reaching down and gently sliding them down the hot and wet folds between Maze’s legs.</p><p>Maze chuckles and sits up slightly, as much as the hooks will let her.</p><p>“Bring it,” she says defiantly.</p><p>Natalie grins before leaning in and kissing her way up Maze’s abdomen, licking the valley between her breasts and then biting down hard on her clavicle. Maze hisses in delight. When Natalie's eyes hover over Maze’s, Natalie brings her free hand up and clenches tightly onto Maze’s jaw. She brings her tongue out and licks Maze’s lips before kissing her deeply and passionately.</p><p>“Do you think you’ve been a bad girl?” Natalie asks when she pulls away from the kiss.</p><p>Maze smiles.</p><p>“Everyday,” Maze says, “it’s kind of my thing.”</p><p>Natalie smiles and chuckles warmly. That seemed to be the answer she was looking for.</p><p>“And how do you think you can make amends for that?” she asks.</p><p>“Who said I wanted to make amends? Maybe I like it,” Maze says.</p><p>Natalie smiles and sits back before climbing up to the headboard and tossing a leg directly over Maze’s face. Maze smiles, seeing where this is going as Natalie lowers herself over Maze’s mouth.</p><p>“Make me believe you,” Natalie says, her hands spreading her pussy lips, so Maze’s tongue finds her clit quickly.</p><p>Maze tongue does its own thing as Natalie softly grinds herself against Maze’s face. She hums, pleased, at what Maze is doing, her body sliding easily against Maze’s tongue. Before she gets too lost in her own pleasure, she twists her body around and begins to rub Maze between her legs. Here their bodies writhe as moans fill the room.</p><p>Natalie reels her hand back and slaps Maze hard on her pussy. Maze groan and gyrates her hips.</p><p>“Oh, did you like that?” Natalie says.</p><p>Natalie leans further back, using one arm to hold herself to the headboard before sliding two fingers directly into Maze, not even testing first. Maze groans and spreads her legs farther as Natalie softly begins to slide in and out of her, checking to make sure Maze is wet enough.</p><p>She is.</p><p>Satisfied, that softness disappears, and Natalie begins jackhammering Maze between her legs, her palm slamming and grinding itself into Maze’s clit. Maze moans loudly, her licking becoming less orchestrated until whatever Maze’s mouth is doing becomes pointless, and Natalie climbs off. She repositions herself between Maze’s legs, focusing only on her fingers sliding in and out of Maze.</p><p>“Fuck!” Maze moans nodding, her wrists pulling at the loops that shake under strain.</p><p>Her moans become higher and tighter as her body tenses and right as it looks like she will go over the edge, Natalie pulls her fingers out of Maze leaving Maze gasping and writhing.</p><p>“I didn’t say you could cum, did I?” Natalie says, her words harsh, but her tone soothing.</p><p>Maze chuckles beneath exhausted breath and shakes her head.</p><p>“You are the worst,” she says, her body involuntarily writhing, lifting off the bed to find a touch that isn’t there.</p><p>Natalie smiles, “You seem to like it, Ms. Smith,” she says before yet again she leans up and lands a passionate kiss onto Maze’s lips.</p><p>This time, however, Maze bites back, and Natalie grins.</p><p>Natalie hums and drags her nails, softly at first down Maze’s chest. When her nails reach Maze’s abdomen, they dig in further, leaving red marks that sting Maze only momentarily before they begin to heal. Natalie leans forward and latches onto a breast.</p><p>She sucks and rolls her tongue around the nipple, her hand moving up to grab Maze’s other breast. Here, she rolls the nipple between her fingers.</p><p>Maze bucks her hips, the metal hooks straining against her movements.</p><p>Natalie rolls her eyes up to Maze, watching her, <em>warning</em> her to not break her cuffs.</p><p>Maze stares back, eyes heavy with need. Natalie grins and rolls a nipple softly between her teeth.</p><p>Maze groans deeply, her head tossed back.</p><p>“You’re killing me,” she huffs.</p><p>Natalie chuckles and unlatches from Maze’s breast.</p><p>“There is a fine line between torture and pleasure,” Natalie says, “that’s what the safe word is for. You can tell me to stop if it’s too much.”</p><p>Maze just stares at her, her breath rising and falling.</p><p>When she doesn’t respond, Natalie’s smile widens.</p><p>Natalie moves back down to Maze’s abdomen. She grips the flesh here, bulging it up into something she can sink her teeth into.</p><p>Then, she sinks her teeth into it.</p><p>She bites, holding on as a hand comes up and gently begins rubs Maze’s pussy. Maze groans and tosses her head back.</p><p>She’s much wetter than she was a minute ago. Natalie chuckles knowingly before letting go of Maze’s flesh, her tongue making its way from Maze’s abdomen back up to latch onto a breast.</p><p>Meanwhile, her fingers dive back into Maze, and she’s back to jackhammering into her, the sound of Maze’s wetness flooding the room.</p><p>Maze moans.</p><p>“Yes!” she screams, her moans getting higher in pitch.</p><p>And yet again, right when she is about to jump, Natalie pulls her away from the ledge.</p><p>Natalie completely pulls away from her, in fact, removing her hands from any part of Maze. Leaving Maze’s body to arc up, squirming painfully beneath her lost touch.</p><p>Maze strains against the cuffs, her body twisting, and an odd sound coming from her. She’s never heard it before, at least from her.</p><p>It sounds oddly like … like <em>whining</em>.</p><p>“You’re such a bitch,” Maze growls, a strand of hair falling into her face.</p><p>Natalie smiles.</p><p>Natalie climbs on top of Maze, the heat of her pussy sitting right on Maze’s abdomen.</p><p>“Is that any way to talk to me?” Natalie asks sweetly, reaching up and brushing a strand of hair behind Maze’s ear.</p><p>Her hand moves down and gently caresses Maze’s face. The further her hand gets to Maze’s mouth, the tighter her grip until she is holding tightly onto Maze’s jaw.</p><p>“All you have to do is say the magic word,” Natalie says, letting go of Maze’s jaw and letting her hand fall down and wrap around Maze’s neck.</p><p>She grips it tight and leans into it.</p><p>“You know what that is, right?” she asks, leaning in to kiss Maze.</p><p>They kiss passionately, their tongues diving over one another. Maze bucks her hips, trying to get any contact with Natalie’s body.</p><p>Natalie sits up, letting go of Maze’s neck.</p><p>“I’m not going to beg you,” Maze says.</p><p>Natalie hums before leaning back and kicking her legs up so that they are flat on the bed. Then she reaches down and begins to rub herself so Maze can see. Maze’s eyes watch between Natalie’s legs as she rubs herself.</p><p>“Suit yourself,” Natalie says.</p><p>Maze watches as Natalie brings her hand up to her mouth and sucks two fingers into it. Seconds later, Natalie slides her fingers into her pussy and tosses her head back.</p><p>Maze slacks against the cuffs, no longer writhing but staring.</p><p>Natalie pulls her head up and watches Maze, whose eyes are locked on what she is doing.</p><p>“There was a second,” Natalie says, fingering herself, “a <em>small</em> second today in which I thought … I thought about fucking you in the bathroom.”</p><p>Maze’s eyes roam up to her, and a smile comes to Maze’s face.</p><p>“You did?” she asks.</p><p>Natalie nods before a moan escapes her lips.</p><p>“I thought it would make me feel better if I had you cum on my tongue, but then you made me change my mind.”</p><p>Maze smiles, “I could still cum on your tongue if you want.”</p><p>Natalie smiles and sits up, pulling her fingers out.</p><p>“No, I’d rather watch you beg me. I bet you make a good little sub.”</p><p>Maze chuckles, “Not gonna happen.”</p><p>Natalie climbs off of Maze and takes her position between Maze’s legs again.</p><p>“We’ll see,” she says.</p><p>She takes the fingers she had inside of herself and immediately pushes them into Maze.</p><p>Maze shuts her eyes, ready for release.</p><p>Except this time, Natalie’s prodding is softer, every push and pull longer. She pulls her fingers out before sliding them as far as they can go. With her other hand, she gently encircles Maze’s clit with pressure that is firm and deliberate.</p><p>“Fuck,” Maze says, tense, her hips rotating and aiding Natalie in her push and pull.</p><p>Her breathing immediately becomes labored, and again her hands strain against the headboard, the gold hooks struggling to stay in place.</p><p>Then that sound again, that weird sound that makes Maze feel …<em>weak</em>.</p><p>
  <em>Whining.</em>
</p><p>She whines for release, her voice high pitched.</p><p>The higher her voice goes, the faster Natalie fingers her until yet again, she’s at the edge ready to jump.</p><p>Natalie pulls away again, removing her touch from every single part of Maze.</p><p>Maze writhes, and that sound leaves her again. It sounds like whining, and this time she doesn’t even care about her pride. She doesn’t care about anything except the heat crawling from her loins and tension needing to be relieved.</p><p>“P-p-please,” Maze whines, her voice low as if she didn’t want to say it.</p><p>“I couldn’t hear you, did you say something?” Natalie asks.</p><p>“Please,” she says, louder, huffing, “please.”</p><p>Natalie smiles. She has Maze right where she wants her.</p><p>“You want to cum?” Natalie asks.</p><p>Maze nods, “Yes. Please. For fucks sake, please.”</p><p>Natalie hums, “You know what you have to say, right?” she asks.</p><p>“I <em>just</em> said please,” Maze says.</p><p>“Please, what?” Natalie asks.</p><p>Maze looks at her, shaking her head, unsure of what Natalie wants.</p><p>She’s already begging. What more is there?</p><p>She would do anything at this point.</p><p>Maze opens her mouth, unsure, her eyes begging for the answer.</p><p>“Please, Mistress,” Natalie says, filling in the blank for her.</p><p>Maze smiles and tilts her head back, realizing the position she had stumbled into, but enjoying every second of it.</p><p>She lays there for a moment, thinking. Thinking about the heat between her legs. She never begged anyone for anything, let alone a human. They begged <em>her</em>, mostly to stop.</p><p>She thinks about the position she got herself into and how easily she could get out of it. She could snap the cuffs and refuse this gameplay.</p><p>But the more she thinks about it, how she doesn’t like this feeling of being entirely at someone else’s disposal, the more she realizes that she kind of <em>does </em>like it.</p><p>She likes not having to think or pretend or do anything.</p><p>Of being completely at the will of someone else.</p><p>It reminds her of something she is comfortable with, something she longs for somewhere deep inside of her; servitude.</p><p>She tilts her head back forward and stares at Natalie.</p><p>Natalie patiently waits for an answer.</p><p>“Please, Mistress, may I cum?” Maze says.</p><p>Natalie grins, a smile stretching from ear to ear and a glimmer in her eye that looks a lot like joy.</p><p>“If I let you cum now, will you have more for me later?” she asks.</p><p>“Never-ending supply,” Maze replies.</p><p>“Good,” Natalie says.</p><p>She positions herself back between Maze’s legs and licks her fingers before slowly sliding two fingers back into Maze.</p><p>Maze hums in response, her hips rotating as Natalie slowly sinks her fingers in and out of Maze. When Natalie’s mouth finally encloses around her clit, Maze lets out a groan.</p><p>Here, an alter to Maze’s body is erected, and Natalie takes her time worshipping every fold and soft bit of flesh her mouth can find.</p><p>It is a different kind of stimulation than the last few times, and despite her fingers diving and turning and curling inside of Maze with little regard for being gentle, Natalie’s tongue is soft yet insistent.</p><p>The juxtaposition of these two feelings is not lost on Maze, who moans and writhes in bed. The wood of the headboard whines and creaks under the strain of Maze moving around.</p><p>“Shit!” Maze gasps right before she lets go of a soft growl.</p><p>Each new lap of Natalie’s tongue makes her moan louder, her pitch again becoming higher until she is there again, ready to jump.</p><p>Instead of pulling away, this time, Natalie is there to catch her. Her stimulation is consistent and unending until Maze inhales deeply and lets out a yelp, an orgasm hitting her harder than she expected.</p><p>Every muscle in her body tenses, the golden hooks straining, and the headboard creaking against Maze’s pull.</p><p>She writhes and gyrates, a tingling bursting from her core.</p><p>Every second of her exhale sounds like a moan until she is out of air, and she gasps to let air back into her lungs.</p><p>Natalie continues to lap and suck until Maze’s body relaxes, and her breathing returns to semi-normal. She only looks up to Maze’s face when the room feels still.</p><p>Maze catches Natalie’s eyes and begins to laugh, punch drunk on whatever feeling is bubbling up inside of her. Natalie squints and pulls herself away from Maze.</p><p>“What’s so funny?” she asks.</p><p>Maze just smiles and shakes her head “Nothing,” she says.</p><p>Natalie doesn’t seem pleased as she slides off the bed and walks into her closet.</p><p>“Aww,” Maze says, her smiles falling, “It’s nothing. I just … that was<em> really </em>good. Come on. I won’t laugh, okay?” she says.</p><p>She hears shuffling inside the closet and tilts her head, “What are you doing?”</p><p> </p><p>She stares in, and seconds later, Natalie comes out with a red velvet bag. Maze looks at it.</p><p>“What is that?” she asks.</p><p>Natalie doesn’t say anything, she just opens the bag and slides out a strap on.</p><p>She sets the bag down on the side table next to her.</p><p>“You talk too much, Ms. Smith,” she says as she turns to Maze, “don’t make me have to gag you.”</p><p>Maze just smiles at her, as if suggesting she should do it anyway.</p><p>“Now,” Natalie says as she brings a hand down between her legs and begins to rub herself.</p><p>“if you want me to stop or if I go too far, feel free to use your safe word, okay?”</p><p>Maze looks at her, complete willingness behind her eyes.</p><p>‘Okay?” Natalie says.</p><p>“Fine, but I already told you I’m not going to say it,” Maze says.</p><p>Natalie cuts her eyes to Maze, a seriousness behind it.</p><p>“It’s a yes or no question, Ms. Smith,” she says.</p><p>Maze chuckles and shakes her head.</p><p>“Yes, Mistress,” Maze says.</p><p>Natalie grins and hums, “Good girl,” she says as she fastens the belt around her hips. Then she reaches down into the side table, pulls out a drawer, and gets a condom.</p><p>“Remind me of your safe word again?” Natalie asks, ripping the condom open before sliding it onto the dildo.</p><p>“Oorgawe,” Maze says, “but, again, I won’t use it.”</p><p>Natalie smiles, “Mmm.”</p><p>She climbs into the bed, adjusts the straps tighter around her body, and pulls Maze’s legs flat against the bed and towards her. Then, she grabs hold of her ankles and pushes her legs all the way back until they are folded across Maze’s abdomen, and every inch of her privates are exposed to open air.</p><p>Maze watches as she lowers herself between Maze’s legs and playfully rubs the tip of the dildo across Maze’s sensitive clit.</p><p>Maze hisses, and Natalie smiles before positioning the dildo at Maze’s entrance and watching Maze’s face as she adds pressure, sinking it further into her. Maze tries to keep eye contact but her eyes flutter and roll up the further it goes into her. Natalie grins before reaching down and leaning her entire body weight onto the back of Maze’s raised thighs.</p><p>“<em>Now</em>, I’m going to fuck you like I own you,” she says, her hips immediately grinding, making sure Maze is wet enough.</p><p>She absolutely is.</p><p>Then, Natalie starts to move her hips, pounding the dildo into Maze, and instantly the room is filled with a barrage of moans that mix with the squeak of bedsprings and the squeak of the leather straps around Natalie’s hips.</p><p>“Fuck!” Maze exclaims, unable to use any other word that can punctuate this experience.</p><p>She wants to bring her hand down and rub her clit, but the cuffs are keeping them in place. They groan and fight against her movements, and she knows she can break it if she wants to, but … she doesn’t want to.</p><p>“I hate that you’re so good,” Natalie grunts as she continues to pound Maze.</p><p>They continue this way until they are both groaning and lost in the haze of lust.</p><p>“Yes! Fuck me!” Maze screams.</p><p>Unable to hold any longer, Maze pulls and snaps the leather cuff on her left hand. The golden hook stays attached to the headboard. Maze uses her now free hand to reach down and rub her clit. Natalie tenses her jaw, angry at Maze breaking a cuff. She reaches forward and clasps her hands around Maze’s neck.</p><p>“I told you not to break them,” she hisses, thrusting harder.</p><p>Maze rolls her eyes back in her head, completely lost in ecstasy. Natalie huffs and grips tighter onto Maze’s neck, holding her tightly - but not too tightly – there. Her other hand reaches up and slaps Mazes across the breast one way. She slaps her the other way as well, just for good measure.</p><p>Maze’s eyes roll back in her head, except this time they don’t come back. They stay that flat shade of white before the white cracks, and a silvery, cold glance replaces it. Natalie doesn’t see it though, she is too busy staring at the dildo gliding in and out of Maze.</p><p>“Harder!” Maze demands, closing her eyes, her face chasing another orgasm.</p><p>Natalie responds by tightening her grip around Maze’s neck.</p><p>“Shut up,” Natalie grunts, “This is my pussy now.”</p><p>“Oh …. Shit,” Maze whines, her head tilting back and Natalie’s grip around her neck tightening.</p><p>‘Fuck!” Maze groans, her groan falling into a gasp as another orgasm hits her, and her legs begin to shake.</p><p>Natalie sees Maze in the throes of orgasm and looks back down to find the dildo coming back slicker than the pump before it.</p><p>She kisses Maze, their lips haphazardly colliding through Natalie’s thrusts. Maze’s free hand reels back and slaps Natalie’s ass.</p><p>Natalie stops thrusting, her chest rising and falling, and Maze grinning wildly.</p><p>“You’re too good at that to be human,” Maze says, panting.</p><p>Natalie pulls away from her and slowly pulls out before collapsing back on the bed, her feet at Maze’s Shoulders.</p><p>She lays there, feeling her heart thumping inside her chest. It made her feel alive. It made her feel something, <em>anything </em>other than the continued pain of existence. She concentrates on that feeling, on the sensation that her heart might leap through her chest. She revels in it, fueled by the rush of endorphins and adrenaline in her system.</p><p>Maze takes her free hand and picks up Natalie’s foot before bringing it to her mouth and kissing her ankles. She nips at it, and Natalie sits up, leaning on her elbows.</p><p>She looks at Maze then at her free hand and then to the gold hook in the headboard.</p><p>Her elated smile falls into a disappointed frown.</p><p>She lays back down, her breathing becoming manageable, and it slowly dawning on her that - yet again - she had sex with the bounty hunter. What would the precinct think if they found out? Maze had promised they wouldn’t, but … it seemed like an inevitable thing.</p><p>She sighs, upset at herself before reaching down and untying the leather strap around her waist. Slowly she pulls the dildo out of her before sitting up and walking towards the bathroom.</p><p>“You owe me a new set of cuffs,” she says.</p><p>“I told you I would break them,” Maze says, turning to the cuff still hooked to the bed and trying to figure out how to unhook it.</p><p>Handcuffs she is familiar with, she had used enough of them in her lifetime to be able to slip out of them with her eyes closed.</p><p>This was custom, though. The leather wasn’t cheap, and indeed the craftsmanship was something to be proud of. Still, easy to get out of for a demon with a little brute force. Once she figured out how it worked, though, she could get out of it without breaking it.</p><p>Eventually, she gives up and collapses back onto the bed.</p><p>Maze turns her head to the side table that only has a lamp and an alarm clock. She furrows her eyebrows and looks around the room. Now, without the mental precedence of sex, she takes stock of Natalie’s bedroom.</p><p>Somehow, she is not surprised to find there is very little sign of life here either. No pictures or paintings. Nothing on the walls of friends or family. Everything is rather … bare. She narrows her eyes.</p><p>Even Dan has pictures in his house, she thinks. This all seems rather … odd.</p><p>“Does that mean it’s my turn to show you what I can do?” Maze asks, her ears going back to hearing the sounds in the bathroom.</p><p>The sink in the bathroom turns off, and Natalie comes out with a dry washcloth and a now clean strap on.</p><p>“No,” Natalie says while wiping the water off before sticking the toy back into the red velvet case.</p><p>She sets the case on the dresser and approaches Maze to help her with the cuffs.</p><p>“That’s not how this works,” she says.</p><p>She undoes the cuff and the second Maze is free she reaches up, wraps her arms around Natalie and turns – tossing Natalie onto the bed beneath her</p><p>“Don’t you want to know what my mouth can really do?” she asks, kissing down Natalie’s body.</p><p>“Ms. Smith,” Natalie says, annoyed, slowly pushing Maze away.</p><p>Except Maze is strong and doesn’t budge. Instead, she continues down towards Natalie’s legs and pries them open.</p><p>“Ms. Smith!” Natalie says, moving to sit up, now upset at Maze’s insistence.</p><p>Maze smiles, “Just relax,” she says, putting a hand on Natalie’s chest and pushing her back down onto the bed.</p><p>She can feel Natalie’s heart racing.</p><p>Her hand slides down her chest and grazes past the scar on her stomach.</p><p>“Stop!” Natalie says, gathering her strength and slapping Maze’s hand away before twisting her body out from under Maze.</p><p>Maze stops, her eyebrows furrowed, as Natalie is now clear across the room, by the bathroom, trying to present an air of control, but it’s too late. Maze has already seen it, the odd panic in her voice, the fear in her stance.</p><p>“Wha… did I do something wrong?” she asks.</p><p>“No,” Natalie says, shaking her head and crossing her arms, “It’s just … it’s getting late. You should go.”</p><p>Maze sits back on her knees, entirely confused.</p><p>“Okay?” she says, the confusion in her voice.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>--</strong>
</p><p>Inside her bedroom, a sleepy Chloe stirs. She grips the sheets around her waist, pulling them closer to her body. She settles into a better position before the faint smell of Lucifer’s cologne hits her nostrils, and it pries her eyes open. Then she is hit with a different scent, the smell of eggs and warm bread wafting into her bedroom from downstairs. She turns towards the spot behind her, expecting to find a sleeping Lucifer but only finds an empty spot in his place.</p><p>Slowly her mind connects the dots, and she smiles before sitting up and sliding the covers off of her. She is fully clothed – oddly enough – and donned in blue and grey flannel pajamas. She stretches and stands up before shuffling towards the door.</p><p>Downstairs, Lucifer – also clothed – stands by the stove with his sleeves rolled up and a gentle fire beneath a perfectly cooked omelet. He moves it off the fire just as Chloe comes down the steps.</p><p>“Ah, there she is,” he says with a smile, “Good Morning. I thought it best we have a little breakfast before we take on the world. I hope you don’t mind that I used the last of your eggs.”</p><p>She smiles and approaches behind him, wrapping her hands around his back and leaning into him.</p><p>“Not at all,” she says as she just holds him, taking in his scent.</p><p>He smiles as she peels away from him and turns to sets the kettle to brew.</p><p>“I’m sorry we were unable to be intimate last night but, I figured it might be inappropriate to assume you might be up for it considering … well, <em>considering</em>,” he says.</p><p>She hums, “Yeah,” she nods in agreement.</p><p>“Not that I wasn’t willing, mind you,” he says.</p><p>She rolls her eyes and smiles before shuffling to the table and pulling out a chair. Here she sits, her hair slightly tousled from sleep, before opening her mouth and letting out a loud yawn.</p><p>He turns to her and smiles as he plates the eggs. His smile falls as he looks at her, and he turns back to what he was doing.</p><p>“I read your text messages,” he says, setting the pan down and pulling toast from the toaster just seconds after it pops up.</p><p>She looks at him with love as he approaches and sets the plate in front of her.</p><p>“Apologies again for being gone so long. I assure you it was not planned.”</p><p>She smiles, “Well, I’m just glad you’re here,” she says, reaching out to hold his hand.</p><p>She shakes it a bit before letting go and turning to her omelet.</p><p>He nods and turns to gather his own plate of food.</p><p>“Still,” he says as he sits down next to her, “I’m sorry you had to go through that. I imagine it to be quite difficult.”</p><p>She nods and looks up at him before going back to forking at her food.</p><p>“it was but … I had to keep hope that you would come back this time,” she says with a faint smile.</p><p>“At the very least,” he says, biting into a piece of toast, “I’ll have to take some pictures and videos to tie you over should it happen again.”</p><p>She rolls her eyes and turns back to her food, “Don’t talk with your mouth full,” she says.</p><p>He laughs, and she smiles until she realizes what he said.</p><p>Again?</p><p>She doesn’t think she could watch him die again.</p><p>“Does it hurt?” she asks, “when you die.”</p><p>He looks at her and thinks for a moment.</p><p>“It’s death darling, it usually isn’t a pleasant event.”</p><p>“Does It scare you?” she asks.</p><p>“No,” he says, “I worry, but I am not afraid.”</p><p>He thinks about it for a moment, scouring his mind for the words to explain.</p><p>“I always thought death was terrifying for mortals. To go your whole life not knowing of a world outside of your own only to be met with undeniable proof in the last instance of existence. Wondering what you have gone or didn’t do. Wondering if you would meet my father or me.”</p><p>“And?” she asks.</p><p>“My deaths are uniquely sans Either. I suppose I fell into that trap of thinking my life would flash before my eyes or … I would see my sister waiting to claim my soul or something, anything. Instead, It feels as though I simply fall asleep and awaken somewhere else in time.”</p><p>“Oh,” she says, somehow happy that he doesn’t feel pain.</p><p>Then her eyes narrow, “Your sister?” she asks.</p><p>“Hmm?” he asks.</p><p>“You said you thought you would see your sister claim your soul.”</p><p>“Ah, yes, Azreal. The Angel of Death. Probably the only one of my siblings whose jobs I don’t mind.”</p><p>Chloe listens and nods. The Angel of death. Is that who she saw?</p><p>“Then night you died,” she says, turning to Lucifer, “Greg shot himself.”</p><p>“Oh,” Lucifer says, “Cowardly way to go… fitting.”</p><p>“I saw a woman,” she says, “she came out of nowhere, and she …she pulled him out of his body.”</p><p>Lucifer turns to her and listens.</p><p>“I thought she was going to do the same to you, but she didn’t. She just …looked at you.”</p><p>“What did she say?” he asks.</p><p>Chloe shakes her head, “She told me not to be afraid and that if you found how she had reaped me, you would cut her head off.”</p><p>Lucifer laughs a hearty chuckle and nods.</p><p>“Love that one. She knows how to keep things light.”</p><p>“That’s light?” she asks.</p><p>“Oh, yes. You can’t imagine the things she’d had to see or do in the name of reaping. Why do you think most of your ghosts are from the Victorian era? She needed a break, and with no one to take the bloody things from the earth they just …wandered. She’s properly backed up on her duties now.”</p><p>Chloe shakes her head.</p><p>“I don’t even know why I ask anymore,” she says.</p><p>He smiles and takes a bite of his eggs.</p><p>“So, this is it, right?” she asks, “you’re mortal now?”</p><p>He shakes his head and takes in a deep sigh. She can tell by the look on his face his answer is a no.</p><p>“Unfortunately, I still have my wings. So …unless the bloody things are a trophy, I’m still due for another accident.”</p><p>She nods, and they eat in silence. It fills her heart with worry.</p><p>He sees her drop-in disposition and attempts to change the subject.</p><p>“I will say the messages you sent me were a great surprise.”</p><p>“Mmm,” She nods, shifting her eggs around with her fork.</p><p>“I quite enjoyed the comments about how you missed specific parts of my anatomy,” he grins.</p><p>She blushes, remembering she had sent some sexual messages mixed in with the pleas for his return.</p><p>“Shut up,” she says with a smile.</p><p>“When you are ready to begin your sexual journey again, do let me know,” he says.</p><p>“sexual journey?” she asks, half her mind not wanting to ask.</p><p>“Yes,” he says, “your sexual awakening.”</p><p>She chokes on a piece of egg, and he looks at her before standing up and moving to the fridge.</p><p>She coughs as he takes out a jug of orange juice and pulls an empty glass from the cabinet.</p><p>“Sexual awa- what are you talking about?” she says.</p><p>He pours the glass for her and brings it to her reached out a hand. She takes a sip as she clears her throat.</p><p>“Darling, you are a woman of experience, but your experiences have been far too … bland. Someone like you deserves to know what they like and receive it in abundance.”</p><p>She sets the glass down and groans, “Lucifer, I know what I like, okay? Not everyone needs to walk around being sex on legs.”</p><p>He smiles and slides into his chair with that pride and ego that only he can exhume.</p><p>“Sex on legs? Why, <em>Detective</em> … I’m more than just a pretty face,” he says.</p><p>She narrows her eyes, a smile on her face. She wants to say something, but at this point, pretending she doesn’t like his teasing would be pointless and a lie. So instead, she just shakes her head and goes back to forking in her omelet.</p><p>Her smile slowly falls the more she thinks about it.</p><p>“So, you <em>do</em> think I’m boring in bed?” she asks.</p><p>“Not at all,” he says, sighing, thinking he had put these thoughts to rest already.</p><p>“You’re exhilarating, and every moment with you is a welcome surprise. Dare I say you’ve replaced methamphetamine on my list of top mind-altering substances to ingest.”</p><p>She groans, “Lucifer … you don’t do meth,” she says, more as a plea than a statement.</p><p>“Well, not anymore. It’s a ghastly thing. Very low brow,” he says, taking a sip of his orange juice.</p><p>She bites off another piece of her toast and tosses the remainder down onto her half-eaten plate.</p><p>“Well, I’m not boring,” she says.</p><p>“I never said you were. Only that you might benefit from more …<em> exploration</em>.”</p><p>She scoffs and crosses her arms as she sits back in the chair and crosses her legs, “Uh-huh. And does this <em>exploration</em> have anything to do with my butt?” she asks.</p><p>He smiles, “Or mine,” he says, taking another sip of his orange juice.</p><p>She rolls her eyes.</p><p>“Again, <em>not</em> happening,” she says.</p><p>He chuckles warmly, a laugh that insists he either doesn’t believe her or finds great amusement from her resistance.</p><p>“Thou dost protest too much, Detective, but I’m certain you will like it. It is quite a delightful experience for all parties involved.”</p><p>She gets up from the table, leaving half her food on the plate.</p><p>“Keep dreaming,” she says as she kisses his neck and walks to the now bubbling kettle.</p><p>She takes it off the heat before reaching into the cabinet and pulling out a container of instant coffee mix.</p><p>“I will,” he says with a smile.</p><p>Suddenly his cell phone rings, and he takes it out of his pocket to see who is calling. He groans. It’s Amenadiel.</p><p>He presses accept and puts the phone up to his ears.</p><p>“If you are calling to see if I am dead, I am not,” Lucifer says.</p><p>He pauses, listening to Amenadiel before grunting, frustrated.</p><p>“Well, whose fault is that?” he asks, “You know I can’t hear summons anymore.”</p><p>He pauses and listens again, his eyes moving down Chloe’s body. She pretends not to notice him, but the tingling between her legs reminds her of what his gaze does to her.</p><p>“Fine, I’m on my way,” he says before hanging the phone up and slipping the phone into his pocket.</p><p>Chloe smiles and doesn’t look at him. She can’t wait to run her fingers through his wings again.</p><p>“You seem amused,” Lucifer says, his head tilting, “What is so funny?”</p><p>She shakes her head, holding back a giggle, “Nothing.”</p><p>“Don’t lie to me, Detective,” he says, crossing to her and scooping her up before setting her on the counter, “You know what the devil does to bad girls.”</p><p>She yelps, trying not to spill the coffee cup he’s set her next to.</p><p>“Lucifer! Be careful,” she says, turning to move the cup away from her.</p><p>He begins kissing her neck and roaming his hands up her side.</p><p>“I think I need to teach you a lesson,” he says.</p><p>She sighs and taps his shoulder, “You have somewhere to be, and I need to run some errands,” she says.</p><p>He sighs and leans back before leaning forward and kissing her. She grabs onto the side of his shirt before he peels away and takes her cup of coffee.</p><p>“I’ll see you this evening, yeah?” he asks.</p><p>“Hey!” she says, sliding off the counter and reaching for the cup of coffee.</p><p>“That’s mine!”</p><p>He takes a gulp and allows her to take the cup from him before walking to the table, eating a bite of toast and grabbing his jacket off the back of the seat.</p><p>“We share all manner of Fluids, Darling, don’t forget.”</p><p>“I would roll my eyes at that,” she says, looking down at her coffee,” but if I roll my eyes anymore, they will get stuck up there.”</p><p>He laughs, “Don’t be ridiculous. That’s an old witches tale,” he says as he slips into his shoes and heads for the door.</p><p>“Hey!” she says, stopping him.</p><p>He turns to her.</p><p>“You don’t … you don’t <em>really</em> think I’m boring in bed, do you?”</p><p>He sighs again and shakes his head.</p><p>“No,” he says flatly, trying to drive the point home, “quite frankly, the idea of introducing you to more forms of sexual debauchery is … <em>titillating</em>.”</p><p>She furrows her eyebrows.</p><p>“I know things!” she says offended.</p><p>He laughs and opens the door before leaving.</p><p>She narrows her eyes and scoffs as she takes a sip of coffee.</p><p>She knows stuff… just because she doesn’t do them doesn’t mean she’s boring. He should know that by now the type of things she’d said to him in bed.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>--</strong>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In her apartment, Natalie is fresh out of the shower. She stands at the mirror with a warm towel wrapped around her body. Her hair is still wet, and she brushes her teeth in relative silence. It is <em>relative</em> silence because by the slow groans coming from her mouth as she brushes her teeth and the slow open and shutting of her eyes, she clearly wishes she were still in bed.</p><p>Her eyes pop open when she hears the faint ding of the phone on her bedside table, telling her she has a new email. She sighs and shuffles over to the table before picking her phone up with the hand that isn’t holding the electric toothbrush in her mouth.</p><p>She shouldn’t be looking at emails until she is on the clock but who is she kidding, she’s always on the clock. She sighs as she thumbs through her email client to see an email – to her work email – from an unknown address.</p><p>She furrows her eyebrows for a moment. It could be a spam email gone rogue, but the title “We need to talk,” catches her attention.</p><p>She taps the email, and it opens up the full message.</p><p>It just says one word.</p><p><em>Elliot</em>.</p><p>Natalie pauses before slowly taking the toothbrush out her mouth. She stares at the name and then and the wall in front of her. She sets the phone down before pausing and turning back to the bathroom. She spits the toothpaste out of her mouth, washes off the toothbrush, and then rises out her mouth. She quickly walks back to the phone on the side table and rereads the message as if she hadn’t thoroughly read it the last time.</p><p>Did he really just send an email to her work email to talk? He could have just-</p><p>Her line of thought stops when she realizes she hadn’t turned on her red phone, Carmen’s phone, since she turned it off three months ago.</p><p>She sighs.</p><p>She sighs to try and slip off the fog of sleep.</p><p>She sighs to try and slink out of the vague feeling of rising excitement in her bones. She would not be playing, no, but the thought of doing the next best thing brings her hope she isn’t used to having.</p><p>She got to speak to, maybe even <em>see</em>, Elliot.</p><p>For nearly four years, he had been the closest thing to a friend she had, despite the veil between them. Excitement and nervousness flows through her, but she shakes it off.</p><p>She didn’t want to get her hopes up.</p><p>She didn’t want to have hope.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>--</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>“Alright,” Linda says, her hand moving to open the door to her office, “the next time we have a session, I want you to walk me through what you’ve done this week from your worksheet. Okay?”</p><p>Linda opens the door and allows her patient, a short man with signs of male pattern baldness, to exit her office. She turns back to her office and walks to her desk, leaving the door open. The second she sits down, Maze walks through. Linda lifts her head up to her and smiles.</p><p>“How is my favorite demon?” she asks with a smile.</p><p>Maze pauses and narrows her eyes.</p><p>“You know other demons?” she asks.</p><p>Linda shakes her head, “Not that I’m aware of no.”</p><p>Maze looks at her strangely.</p><p>“It’s a turn of phrase like ... how are you. Nice to see you,” Linda says.</p><p>“Oh,” Maze says, moving to sit on the couch.</p><p>She plops down, sending a gust of air off the sofa and into her nostrils. She sniffs it for a second. There is a faint aroma of sex.</p><p>She turns to Linda.</p><p>“How are things with you and Amenadiel?” she asks.</p><p>Linda smiles, “Good, good.” She says.</p><p>Maze narrows her eyes and leans forward.</p><p>“You said it twice. When you say it twice, it means you’re lying.”</p><p>Linda shakes her head and smiles. She stands and walks around her desk.</p><p>“No, Honestly. Things are good, it’s just … I’m worried about him.”</p><p>Maze nods and scoffs, “Okay,” she says, leaning back and kicking her feet up on the coffee table.</p><p>She pauses before slowly taking her feet off the table.</p><p>“He’s been so preoccupied with this whole … Lucifer becoming mortal thing. I’m worried that he is just spinning his tires,” she says.</p><p>“Tires? He doesn’t have tires, he’s not a car,” Maze scoffs.</p><p>Linda sighs, “It’s another turn of phrase. It means I’m worried he’s doing all this for nothing. Like, he’s putting effort into something that won’t pay off.”</p><p>Maze nods, “He is,” she says flatly, “but he’s an Angel. They are stubborn. And that’s coming from <em>me</em>.”</p><p>Linda laughs and moves towards the chair in front of Maze. She slowly sits in it, her arms crossed.</p><p>She shakes her head, “I’m just … I’m worried he’s going to lose himself.” She says.</p><p>Maze nods and sighs.</p><p>“Amenadiel is a daddy’s boy,” she begins.</p><p>“Maze,” Linda begins, about to chastise her.</p><p>“<em>Meaning</em>, he’s always had some sort of clear task. Angels aren’t like humans. Humans can think for themselves and Angels …they don’t have that same freedom. It’s how Lucifer got into this whole mess. You know, free will.”</p><p>Linda narrows her eyes.</p><p>“Amenadiel is used to having something to do, you know? To keep him busy,” Maze says, “God gives him a task, he finishes it, and then he gets another. If his dad didn’t tell him what to do he … what does he have? “</p><p>“Huh,” Linda says, nodding, “He<em> is</em> very task-oriented.”</p><p>Maze scoffs, “Understatement of the decade.”</p><p>Linda nods to herself.</p><p>“He doesn’t need you to worry,” Maze says, sitting back, “He needs a hobby.”</p><p>They sit in silence for a second, and Linda turns to her. She shakes her head to knock those thoughts out.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” she says, uncrossing her arms and looking at her watch, “It’s time for lunch, not a pep talk. Have you decided where you want to go today?”</p><p>She stands up and moves towards her desk.</p><p>“Actually,” Maze says, “I … I could use some of your brain stuff.”</p><p>Linda pauses and turns to Maze. She narrows her eyes.</p><p>“I told you, I’m not going to help you improve your psychological torturing techniques.”</p><p>Maze shakes her head, “It’s about …,” she inhales, fully aware of how stupid this is about to sound.</p><p>“It’s about a woman,” she says.</p><p>Linda tilts her head, curiosity painted on her face.</p><p>“Oh?” she says, walking around her desk and sitting in the chair, “Go on.”</p><p>“No,” Maze says, shaking her head, “Uh-uh. If we are going to do this, you can’t be in that chair. I’m not a patient,” she says.</p><p>Linda laughs and nods, “Fine,” she relents, standing up and moving to sit next to Maze on the couch.</p><p>“So?” Linda asks.</p><p>Maze nods and turns her head. She shuts her eyes tight as if what she is about to say is stupid, but … It is stupid, right? To care. It’s probably nothing. It’s probably some human thing that humans do, and she just doesn’t understand it.</p><p>“We were having sex last night,” she says, “amazing sex …<em> great</em> sex. Probably the best human I’ve ever slept with.”</p><p>“Well, that’s saying a lot,” Linda says.</p><p>Maze nods, “It is. It is quite a feat to achieve. Problem is she …” Maze tosses her eyes up, trying to figure out a way to say this.</p><p>She looks at Linda before it snaps into her mind that it’s Linda. She didn’t have to wear kid gloves.</p><p>“She won’t let me fuck her,” Maze says.</p><p>Linda stares at her and furrows his eyes.</p><p>“Pardon?” she asks.</p><p>“I have all these skills that I’m sure she could find use in, you know, and she just … she won’t even let me use them. Not only that, she seems completely uninterested in it. I mean, we have this great night together, and I get off more than I normally do with humans, but when it's her turn, she just … what is the point of sex if you don’t cum?”</p><p>“Hmm, have you spoken to her about it? There could be a perfectly normal reason why it seems she is all about getting you off. Maybe … maybe she has body issues. Or maybe its some kink like watching people or … feet,” Linda says.</p><p>Maze scoffs.</p><p>“No, she’s very secure in who she is. It’s kind of hot. I mean, I think. We don’t talk. It’s just sex. It’s a … physical thing, but I’m always on the receiving end of it. She ties me up, has her way with me, I cum. I mean, on the whole, I’m actually coming out with a pretty sweet deal. It’s just … you know, I kind of want to show her what I can do too.”</p><p>Maze pauses and looks off into the distance.</p><p>“I thought it was a fluke, you know? She was so drunk the first time she didn’t care to see what I had to offer her. But last night … it’s like… she wouldn’t even let me touch her.”</p><p>“Mm,” Linda hums, a grave tone to her hum as if she recognized something she shouldn’t have.</p><p>Or rather, didn’t want to.</p><p>“She ties you up?” Linda asks.</p><p>“Oh yeah,” Maze says, chuckling, “She is … the<em> best</em> kind of human.”</p><p>“Hmm,” Linda says, her eyes narrowing more, “At any point in time, are you allowed to touch her?”</p><p>Maze pauses, her eyebrows furrowing as she thinks.</p><p>“I mean … yeah, she freaks out when I do but …I mean, sometimes.”</p><p>“Freaks out?” Linda asks, “How?”</p><p>“Like she kicks me out of her apartment,” Maze says.</p><p>Linda inhales and sits back on the sofa.</p><p>“Mm,” Linda says, leaning back in her chair.</p><p>“What, what is that? That sounded bad. I mean, I know she’s bat shit, but don’t tell me shes <em>actually</em> crazy.”</p><p>“We don’t use that word,” Linda says, turning to Maze, chastising her,” there are no crazy people, only challenging situations.”</p><p>Maze rolls her eyes as if she doesn’t believe that.</p><p>“And no, she’s just … well, I can’t diagnose her without speaking with her, but …”</p><p>Linda inhales and lets out a deep sigh.</p><p>She shakes her head and continues.</p><p>“It’s probably best. I don’t give my opinion. I mean, I could be wrong,” Linda says, getting up from her chair, “I need to speak with her to know, but really you should probably talk to her.”</p><p>Maze scoffs, “No if I do that, she will certainly run away.”</p><p>Linda pauses and turns to see Maze staring off, thinking as if hatching a plan. Linda smiles.</p><p>“You like her, don’t you?” she asks.</p><p>Maze turns to Linda, offended.</p><p>“What? No. Don’t be ridiculous.”</p><p>Linda chuckles.</p><p>“Defensive,” Linda says, approaching her desk, “I think that means I’m right.”</p><p>Maze rolls her eyes and leans back in her chair.</p><p>Linda pauses, her smile falling, “God, I would imagine if you broke someone’s arm for a simple mistake, just for a friend, you might do worst for someone who you feel… more amicable towards.”</p><p>“I would kill for you, and I don’t want to fuck you,” Maze says.</p><p>Linda raises an eyebrow, and Maze sighs, “I mean like … unless you want to, in which case I’m totally down.”</p><p>Linda smiles and shakes her head, “I think you’re in denial. You are experiencing an emotional connection for the first time since-“ she begins.</p><p>“<em>It’s nothing</em>,” Maze insists, her eyes glaring at Linda.</p><p>Linda nods, recognizing denial when she sees it. It’s almost like she’s talking to Lucifer. She chuckles to herself, and the room falls into silence. She glances towards Maze and notices how Maze is staring at the wall. She tilts her head.</p><p>“Is there something else you want to talk about?” Linda asks.</p><p>“Nope. I just wanted to know. Now I know. Problem solved,” Maze says, her lips tight and jaw clenched.</p><p>“So there is nothing else on your mind that you maybe want to get out? Here, in the privacy of this room? The one where secrets stay?”</p><p>“Nothing,” Maze says.</p><p>“C’mon,” Linda whines, “Spit it out. I’m trained to see it, and even if I weren’t, I’m your friend. You can talk to me about anything, you know that.”</p><p>Maze shakes her head and stands.</p><p>“No, that’s it. Just … wanted to know what that meant.”</p><p>Linda narrows her eyes, “What is it, Maze? Honestly.”</p><p>Maze shakes her head, “Nothing. Let’s go eat some ... pizza or <em>something</em>.”</p><p>Linda grunts, frustrate,d and turns to her purse, “I swear you angels and demons are all the same. So much trouble caused that could simply be fixed by just admitting your feelings.”</p><p>“I shouldn’t <em>be </em>feeling!” Maze snaps.</p><p>Linda pauses then slowly turns to Maze.</p><p>Maze looks around like she shouldn’t have said that out loud.</p><p>Linda raises her head as she stares, understanding the issue.</p><p>“It’s not just the woman, is it?” Linda says.</p><p>Maze sighs and plops down on the sofa again, this time defeated.</p><p>“I … I cried over Dan at the hospital like … like a child,” she says, looking at Linda, “I … I felt angry at Ella for going to Utah without me and now … <em>now</em> …”</p><p>“Now you’re in love,” Linda says.</p><p>“I’m not in love,” Maze scoffs,” I just … I feel …I feel….”</p><p>“You feel,” Linda says, nodding.</p><p>Maze nods before scoffing at herself and turning her head towards the window.</p><p>“You humans are … contagious,” she says.</p><p>Linda smiles and moves back to the seat next to Maze. She sits down and crosses her legs.</p><p>“What does this mean?” Maze asks, her voice confused, her eyes scanning Linda for an answer.</p><p>“What do you want it to mean?” Linda asks, reaching out and rubbing Maze’s back.</p><p>Maze’s mouth flickers into a sneer at the thought of receiving comfort, but only momentarily. Her eyes fall down, and her forehead pops back and forth between being a smooth surface and a wrinkled furrow.</p><p>She looks like a dog, unsure if it wants to bite or … enjoy it. She turns her head to Linda, her eyes cautiously moving up to her. Linda stares at her.</p><p>“Do you want to talk to Amenadiel? Would that be easier?” Linda asks sweetly, her head tilted to meet Maze’s averted eyes.</p><p>Maze shakes her head before turning back to look in front of her.</p><p>She wanted pizza.</p><p>She wanted to forget about these strange feelings.</p><p>She wanted to forget about the sadness and the anger and … the <em>pining</em>.</p><p>Maze’s eyes cautiously move back to Linda, and Linda smiles at her. They stand there for a moment, Linda rubbing Maze’s back.</p><p>Suddenly Maze is met with an overwhelming feeling. She holds it back or tries too, but eventually, it’s an itch she<em> has</em> to scratch.</p><p>Slowly, telegraphing her move with enough time to give Linda to say no, she wraps her arms around Linda’s torso and pulls her into a hug.</p><p>Well, it’s more like Maze holding tightly onto her torso while Linda sits there shocked. Maze holds onto her, her head resting against Linda’s chest.</p><p>“If you tell anyone I did this, I will break your arms,” she says threateningly.</p><p>Linda chuckles, not threatened at all, and reaches down to brush her fingers through Maze’s hair.</p><p>“It’s hard,” Linda says, “but you can get through it. Humans do it all the time.”</p><p>Maze scoffs, even as her eyes begin to well with tears. Even as she holds Linda tighter. Even as she relishes in the feeling of Linda’s soft hands on her head, combing them with a delicate touch reserved only for lovers, or friends or … <em>children</em>.</p><p>They sit there for a long time, quietly until Maze let’s go of Linda and sits up. She turns her eyes to Linda, cautiously, to find Linda staring out the window lost in her own thought.</p><p>Suddenly they snap to Maze.</p><p>Linda’s eyes narrow.</p><p>“How do you feel about Greek?”</p><p>Maze furrows her eyebrows, “What?” she asks.</p><p>“I want something flavorful, but I want it to be somewhat healthy. Plus, I could really go for some chickpeas and tzatziki sauce.”</p><p>Maze groans, “You know how I feel about chickpeas. They don’t-“</p><p>“<em>’ make them like they used to,’ </em>right, fine. But what about falafel?” Linda says.</p><p>Maze narrows her eyes and thinks about it for a second. She nods to herself.</p><p>“I could do falafel,” she says.</p><p>“Great, I’m starving,” Linda says, standing up and moving back to her desk.</p><p>She shuffles through her purse for a second to find a smaller wallet.</p><p>“We can talk about your girlfriend more at lunch,” Linda says.</p><p>Maze stands and crosses her arms, “She’s not my girlfriend. We just have sex. Good sex. Frustratingly good sex.”</p><p>Linda chuckles, “Yeah, okay,” she says unconvinced as she walks to the door, keys in hand.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>--</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>The bell above the front door dings as Natalie enters a busy coffee shop. The line extends almost to the door, and all the tables are full. She looks around for a moment before she sees a man – who looks an awful lot like Elliot from behind – sitting with his back towards her. He is alone at the table and sips on a cold drink while reading a magazine.</p><p>She inhales and gathers her courage before walking forward, her heels clapping against the stone floor, and her head held high.</p><p>She approaches the table, and as she crosses into his peripheral, Perry Morgan – also known as Elliot – looks up from his magazine. The second their eyes meet, a sincere smile comes over his face.</p><p>She holds her own back as she moves to sit in front of him.</p><p>“I didn’t think you would show up,” he admits, that smile still plastered on his face.</p><p>“I almost didn’t,” she says coldly as she slips the blazer off her shoulders and turns to drape it behind her chair.</p><p>It reveals a sleeveless blouse that flows away from the parts of her body he’s seen in <em>greater</em> detail.</p><p>“Do you … want something to drink?” he asks, “I didn’t how you take your coffee so-“</p><p>“No, I’m fine,” she says, crossing her arms and leaning back in the chair, “what did you want to talk to me about?”</p><p>He pauses and looks at her. She’s standoffish. She doesn’t look at all like the woman he had come to know and care for – however, fucked up and meaningless their partnership was.</p><p>“I …Carmen I-“ he says before pausing.</p><p>That wasn’t her name. At least not anymore. At least not since she stopped answering her phone. Since she stopped taking his calls or taking their clients.</p><p>He clears his throat and slowly closes the magazine in front of him, giving his hands something to do as he thinks.</p><p>A barista comes by and stops at their table.</p><p>“Can I get you anything?” he asks her.</p><p>Natalie turns to him and nods, “Coffee, soymilk not cow’s milk, and what do you have in the way of food?”</p><p>“Uh,” the barista says.</p><p>“Scratch it. Just give me a salad, whichever one you have that doesn’t have fruit or cranberries in it.”</p><p>He stares at her, unsure of what to say.</p><p>She glares back at him before tilting her head as if to ask if he needed to write it down.</p><p>“Right, yes. Right away,” he says, turning and leaving.</p><p>Natalie turns back to Perry, and he just smiles as he shakes his head.</p><p>“Here I am, thinking I have no idea how to talk to you, but … I guess Mistress is a part of you and not the other way around, huh?”</p><p>“What do you need? Because I can’t get you out of a traffic ticket if that’s what you are after,” she asks.</p><p>“<em>Jesus Christ</em>, Carmen,” he says, shaking his head, “I just … I want to talk, okay? You haven’t spoken to me in three fucking months.”</p><p>“You sent an email to my <em>work </em>email,” she says.</p><p>“And what was I supposed to do? Huh? You haven’t been responding to any of my text messages, and every time I call, it sends me straight to voice mail. I’m tired of leaving <em>freaking</em> messages.”</p><p>Natalie sighs.</p><p>“What did you want me to do? Show up to your job and beg you to answer your damn phone?” he says.</p><p>“What do you want!” she says, frustrated.</p><p>“I just want to talk to my friend!” he says in response, “<em>Jesus</em>.”</p><p>They sit in silence for a moment, an awkward tension that bleeds over into the tables nearby as they catch on to the conversation.</p><p>“It’s been a really fucking weird time for me in the past three months,” he says.</p><p>Natalie scoffs, “Welcome to the club,” she says.</p><p>“Yeah,” he says, nodding, “and I would like to talk about it. You know … like a <em>friend</em> does.”</p><p>A woman from a nearby table leans over to catch his attention.</p><p>“I don’t mean to butt in, but … do you mind keeping your volume down? And maybe cleaning up your language?”</p><p>Both Natalie and Perry look at her with blank and unmoving faces.</p><p>“Fuck off,” he says, annoyed.</p><p>The woman recoils and leans back into her seat, flustered.</p><p>Natalie turns her eyes to him, a small smile peeling itself into the corner of her mouth.</p><p>“Look …. I admit, I was pissed when I saw you on TV. Okay? I was angry, and maybe I shouldn’t have sent that text, but ... I was upset. You know? All this time I thought you were like ... in sales or like – you know – something as shitty as what I do. But a Lieutenant? A big shot cop that goes on TV and holds conferences?”</p><p>Natalie doesn’t say anything.</p><p>“By comparison, I live a shitty fucking life. I made more money as your sidekick than at the career that I’ve made for myself- and trust me, I use the term career <em>very</em> loosely.”</p><p>“Elliot…” she begins.</p><p>He sighs and shakes his head.</p><p>“You don’t need the money,” he says, “I get that. It’s not about the money to you, but …<em>I </em>needed it. And you let me down.”</p><p>She shakes her head, starting to feel guilty.</p><p>“Look, I’m sorry. I … I didn’t know,” she says.</p><p>He shakes his head, his eyes staring down towards the Magazine.</p><p>“I’m … I’m not mad. Not anymore. I made it work,” he says, letting a deep breath go, “I’ve had time to process it, and really you gave me a gift. It doesn’t make what you did any less shitty, but … but if I am honest, I didn’t really make it less shitty either. We both fucked up.”</p><p>She furrows her eyebrows and looks at him, “What?”</p><p>“We had one rule, and if I had known they were looking for you, the Lieutenant, I would have never gone on that interview.”</p><p>“That isn’t what did it,” she replies, trying to ease his conscience.</p><p>“Truth be told, I was worried for you,” he says.</p><p>“Worried?” she asks as if that thought didn’t occur to her.</p><p>“Uh. Yeah.<em> Jesus </em>Carmen, a cop that likes to …,” he pauses and looks around before lowering his voice and leaning forward, “dom on the side? That’s gotta be hard.”</p><p>She narrows her eyes, “Yeah … it is. I- I mean, it was. I don’t do that anymore.”</p><p>He sighs and nods, “Yeah, I know. I’ve had to take over all of your clients.”</p><p>She scoffs, and he just stares at her.</p><p>“Oh, <em>oh,</em> that wasn’t a joke,” she says.</p><p>He smiles and shakes his head.</p><p>“They call me Master,” he says pleased with himself, “and they look at me like the single point of authority. It’s …<em>wildly</em> erotic.”</p><p>She chuckles, and slowly her shoulders relax. He smiles just as the barista comes back with a cup of coffee and a salad on a plate. She looks at the plate then turns to the barista. He stands there as if waiting for approval, and she nods.</p><p>“Thank you,” she says.</p><p>The barista nods, and his eyes cut briefly to Perry before leaving. Natalie catches it, and a smile crooks into her corner.</p><p>“One of yours?” she asks as she reaches for the fork.</p><p>Perry nods.</p><p>“He’s new,” he says.</p><p>“Is that why we came here?” she asks.</p><p>He nods, “Mmm,” he affirms, “that and their coffee cake is to <em>die</em> for.”</p><p> </p><p>Natalie chuckles, the first carefree laugh since she sat down. Her body droops comfortably, and Perry takes another sip of his coffee. She reaches out and grabs her cup. The heat of the coffee inside bleeds onto her hand and comforts her.</p><p>“Are you ever going to come back?” he asks, “they really miss you.”</p><p>She stares at her coffee and sighs before shaking her head.</p><p>“Living a double life is …it’s not possible. Not anymore,” she says.</p><p>“You sure? Many of them said they would pay extra to get punished by the LAPD.”</p><p>She guffaws and shakes her head.</p><p>“No, no. I think … I think it’s best I keep my playtime to myself for now.”</p><p>He lets go of a defeated sigh and nods.</p><p>“Well,” he says, “In that case …”</p><p>He lets go of his coffee and extends his hand.</p><p>“Name’s Perry. Nice to meet you Natalie,” he says.</p><p>She looks at his hand, then to him. He stares at her, waiting. A smile crooks onto her mouth, and she extends her hand to shake it.</p><p>“Nice to meet you …<em> Perry</em>,” she says with a smile.</p><p>They retract their hands and sit in comfortable silence. Natalie reaches out to take a sip of her coffee as Perry opens the Magazine and relaxes into his chair as he browses.</p><p>“I prefer Elliot,” Natalie says, taking a sip of her coffee.</p><p>Perry looks at her, his eyebrows furrowed.</p><p>“Huh?” he asks.</p><p>“Perry sounds like a paint color,” she says, a grin on her face.</p><p>He smiles widely and chuckles, “You’re such a bitch,” he laughs.</p><p>She chuckles, and their laughter dies down to comfortable silence.</p><p>“So …,” he says, “I had a play session with Marco last night.”</p><p>She looks up at him, her eyebrows raised.</p><p>“Oh?” she says, setting the coffee cup down.</p><p>“He was a <em>very</em> good boy,” he says a pleased tone to his voice.</p><p>She smiles as she reaches for the cutlery that came with her salad.</p><p>“Yeah?” she says.</p><p>Perry nods, “I only had to correct him twice before he got the picture.”</p><p>Natalie hums in approval as she stabs a tomato with her fork.</p><p>“I always liked Marco,” she says, staring at the tomato momentarily before she pops it in her mouth.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>--</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>Lucifer walks down the bullpen steps. When he gets to the bottom, an officer lays a hand on his shoulder and smiles.</p><p>“Glad to see you back, buddy,” he says with a smile.</p><p>Lucifer smiles back at him, “Well, it’s glad to be back,” he says.</p><p>Lucifer continues forward when a passing officer tosses him a sympathetic smile, “Glad to see you well,” the officer says.</p><p>Lucifer furrows his eyebrows.</p><p><em>Okay</em>, what is happening.</p><p>Chloe is sitting at her desk, her mind entangled in her case when the passing scent of Lucifer’s cologne wafts by her nose. He sits down at her desk as she turns to look at him, a smile on her face.</p><p>“Detective,” he says curiously as he sits, “what precisely did you tell your coworkers about my absence?”</p><p>She smiles before turning back to her paperwork, “I told them you were on a retreat. For … <em>mental</em> purposes.”</p><p>“Are you mad?!” he says.</p><p>She chuckles, “What did you want me to tell them? He can’t answer the phone right now. He’s currently in a meat locker.”</p><p>Lucifer scoffs and runs his hand down to his crotch.</p><p>“Don’t remind me. I think I’m still defrosting,” he says.</p><p>He pauses and looks at her.</p><p>“Speaking of, apologies again for not initiating last night,” he says.</p><p>Chloe rolls her eyes, “We don’t have to have sex every time,” she says, her volume low so no one can hear her.</p><p>“What fun is that?” he asks, leaning forward, a grin on his face.</p><p>She shakes her head,” Besides, I … I wasn’t in the mental space last night for that. You know? It has been three months and-“</p><p>“Say no more, Detective,” he says, holding his hand out, “You don’t have to apologize to me.”</p><p>She smiles and slides her hand to lay on his momentarily before sliding it away.</p><p>“So, what despicable case are we working this time?” he asks, peeping over to the file she has on her desk.</p><p>She shakes her head.</p><p>“<em>We</em> aren’t working anything. You’re not my partner anymore, remember? The whole being MIA for three months? Besides, you hate paperwork,” she says, flipping the file closed and setting it out of prying fingers.</p><p>Just then, Natalie walks by, a cup of coffee in her hand, and a carefree stride in her walk. Her eyes momentarily land on Lucifer, and she pauses.</p><p>“Ah,” she says, stopping before lowering the cup from her mouth, “Mr. Morningstar. Glad to see you are feeling better. Though, I do hope this is just a friendly visit.”</p><p>“He’s just here to keep me company,” Chloe says before Lucifer can say anything.</p><p>Natalie nods.</p><p>She doesn’t even give him the time to respond before heading to her office.</p><p>Lucifer lets go of a giant sigh. He turns to her.</p><p>“It’s probably for the best,” he says, “I imagine the next few months might take some getting used to the whole … mortality thing.”</p><p>She smiles and starts to type something into her computer, “You make it sound like such a trial,” she says.</p><p>“It is different,” he says, crossing his legs, “you know this morning I woke up completely famished. I ate the breakfast I made, and then after that, I had a big serving of pancakes from the diner a few blocks from LUX.”</p><p>He puts his hand on his stomach, uncomfortable.</p><p>“Now, I just feel … heavy,” he says.</p><p>She turns to him and smiles, “You know, if you’re going to be normal now, you need to be careful about what you eat. You’re not going to have your superhuman metabolism anymore. I don’t want you to get fat.”</p><p>He turns to her, offended.</p><p>“Detective, this body is carved from the building blocks of our world. Don’t insult me.”</p><p>Chloe rolls her eyes with a chuckle and goes back to typing. He looks at her for a moment, his offense falling into glee.</p><p>“Speaking of eating,” he says, reaching into the pocket of his jacket.</p><p>“Look what I found in my penthouse,” he says, pulling out a lace set of underwear.</p><p>Chloe looks at it oddly then a wave of recognition falls over her.</p><p>She reaches out and grabs it, feeling the weight of the vibrator tucked between the lining.</p><p>“Lucifer!” she says, balling it up as much as she can and shoving it beneath her sweater.</p><p>She looks around, a red flush on her face, to make sure no one saw that.</p><p>“What are you- you can’t just bring this to work!” she says.</p><p>“I thought you might want to test it out over lunch,” he says, “I know of an excellent place where we can get a quiet booth where no one will hear your charming squeaks.”</p><p>She narrows her eyes at him.</p><p>“I don’t squeak, I’m not a mouse,” she says.</p><p>He laughs warmly, “Darling, you absolutely squeak, and It. Is. <em>delightful</em>.”</p><p>“Shut up,” she says, her face getting red.</p><p>She looks around, suddenly feeling exposed before catching his eyes again.</p><p>“Well?” he asks, “Go on then.”</p><p>He waves his hand, shooing her to the bathroom. She looks at him, timid before swallowing her spit.</p><p>“Come on,” he says, seeing her on the verge of agreeing, “If you wear them, I’ll stop pestering you about anal pleasures for at least another week.”</p><p>She visibly cringes.</p><p>“Fine,” she relents, standing as she hides the underwear in her sweater, “but only if you promise never to say the phrase ‘<em>anal pleasures’</em> again.”</p><p>He laughs as she scurries away to the bathroom as if she were hiding a brick of cocaine in her jacket. He grins and sits back in his chair, turning his head to her desk as he waits.</p><p>Even though it had felt like he was here just yesterday, he can tell sometime had passed since he had last been here. New files were on her desk, she had a new mousepad and the container of chili she had on her desk for far too long was gone.</p><p>He turns back to the precinct. Some officers had longer hair, some had decided to grow beards or trim their facial hair off altogether. Time was passing him by. He turns his head to see Dan focused hard on a case at his desk. He smiles to himself.</p><p>At least some things could stay the same.</p><p>“Daniel,” he says, spinning around and standing up.</p><p>Dan looks up at him briefly before turning back to his work.</p><p>“Lucifer,” he says, the same tone but a hint of annoyance, “How was your sabbatical? Did you enjoy the jello? I heard the sponge baths are to <em>die</em> for.”</p><p>Lucifer grins in mock anger, “Quite hilarious Daniel,” he says as he strolls over to Dan’s desk, “I must say I’ve quite missed our usual and less than pleasant banter.”</p><p>“That makes one of us,” he says, reaching over his desk to get his stapler.</p><p>He staples a loose sheet of paper to the folder he has open and slams it shut.</p><p>“In fact, I was hoping I wouldn’t have to put up with you for at least a few more months,” he says as he stands.</p><p>He stands tall and strong, and Lucifer’s eyes move down to his legs.</p><p>Dan sees the looks, and his annoyance falls.</p><p>“Took a little physical therapy, but … I’m back on duty, so someone has faith in me, right?” he says, a timid smile.</p><p>Lucifer nods, a strange silence falling over him.</p><p>“You do know that I was dead?” he asks for confirmation.</p><p>Dan inhales and moves the file between his underarms as he crosses his arms.</p><p>“Yeah,” he says, “Chloe was pretty torn about it.”</p><p>“Mmm,” Lucifer says, “Yes, I suppose that is my fault.”</p><p>Dan shakes his head, “What’s been going on with you man? I mean, I’m still new to this whole …you being the devil thing, but …am I missing something? Angel’s don’t die, right?”</p><p>Lucifer nods, “Yes, I suppose given your history it best we discussed your role in this whole affair.”</p><p>Lucifer sighs and puts his hand in his pockets.</p><p>“I’m becoming mortal,” he says as he looks up.</p><p>Dan’s eyes raise.</p><p>“Yeah, you said that, but what does that mean? Human? Like … not an angel anymore?”</p><p>Lucifer nods, “Yes, the whole nine. Needing to eat, able to die, etcetera. All the unpleasantries that come with humanity.”</p><p>“Wow,” Dan says, taking that in, “that’s …wow.”</p><p>Lucifer shakes his head, “Oh, no. This is great news, Daniel,” he says.</p><p>Dan narrows his eyes, “It is?”</p><p>“Yes,” Lucifer says, convinced, “It means I can stay with the Detective and not have to worry about the unpleasantness that comes with outliving one’s partner. You know, men, on average, die far before their female companions. I quite frankly look forward to it.”</p><p>Dan looks at Lucifer oddly.</p><p>“I can do the whole … sweater vest and white picket fence thing that you humans love to talk about. Then when I die, I’ll pop down to hell and return to my reign for eternity. Not the best way to spend the afterlife, but … worth it, I suppose.”</p><p>Dan chuckles and shakes his head, “You don’t strike me as the baby-toting fatherly type,” he says.</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, “Don’t be disgusting, Daniel,” he says,” I know you’re upset about the prospect of seeing more of me, but there’s no need to be huffy about it.”</p><p>Dan nods and reaches up to scratches his head.</p><p>“Hey, uhm … I didn’t, you know… I didn’t mean that stuff about hoping you’d be gone longer,” he says, “I was just … you know it’s our thing.”</p><p>Lucifer nods, “Right, yes. Of course,” he says.</p><p>They stand there for a little while longer, both awkwardly avoiding eye contact.</p><p>“Cool well … I’ll see you around,” Dan says, reaching for the file and slapping Lucifer on the arm with it as he walks past.</p><p>“Yes, looking forward to more of your douchey behavior,” he yells back.</p><p>Dan just shakes his head with a smile. Lucifer’s eyes move down to see Ella walking towards him.</p><p>“Ah, Ms. Lopez,” he says, taking his hands out of his pants in preparation for her usual hugs, “Come to wish me well?”</p><p>“Can I ask you a question?” she says, stopping just short of him and crossing her arms over her body.</p><p>It is the exact opposite of giving him a hug. He pauses.</p><p>“Of course, Darling,” he says, sticking his hands back into his pockets and walking back to Chloe’s desk.</p><p>Here he takes his seat and crosses his legs, “What is on that insufferably curious mind of yours?”</p><p>“The other day, I ran into Abel at the supermarket,” she says.</p><p>Lucifer’s smile falls to a grim understanding.</p><p>“I see. I would have warned you earlier, but as you can imagine, I haven’t had much …well, <em>time</em>.”</p><p>She waves him off.</p><p>“Yeah, I’m not concerned about that. My question is … like, how did you come to the conclusion that you and Chloe should be a thing? Like, you’re as old as time, and she’s-“</p><p>“I assure you my age is a matter of existence, not of a cellular disposition. My body is quite pert.”</p><p>Ella’s eyes roll down his form, “Yes, you are,” she says before catching her self and shaking that thought out of her head.</p><p>Lucifer tilts his head, pleased that his desire tricks are still working.</p><p>“I just … I’m not saying I want to do anything with him but-“</p><p>“It sounds like you do,” he says, his head tilting more.</p><p>“<em>but</em>,” she says, “I was just starting to kind of like him before he disappeared, and now I’m questioning my sanity.”</p><p>Lucifer nods, unsure about how he feels about Abel being any part of his friend group. He felt protective of these humans, and Abel wasn’t exactly on his Christmas list.</p><p>Still, he thinks, his eyes narrowing, Abel seemed quite fond of his piecemeal existence. He wanted to go back so badly. That doesn’t reek of ill-fated plans for revenge at all.</p><p>“Mm,” Lucifer says.</p><p>“Perhaps I should have a word with him about his intentions. Might that make you feel better?” Lucifer asks, knowing it – at the very least - would make him feel better.</p><p>Better about allowing Abel to exist again. He imagines it might be hard to tear him apart again what with him becoming human and all. He needs to know now before his wings disappear.</p><p>Ella scoffs, “I don’t need you to handle it for me. I just …I don’t know how to feel about him being the fourth human alive. Like, in the literal sense.”</p><p>“I see,” Lucifer says as Chloe walks back to the desk, a blush on her face.</p><p>He sits up, remembering what he had sent her off for.</p><p>“Perhaps this is a question best answered by someone in your position?” he says as Chloe sits down.</p><p>Ella turns to Chloe and sighs.</p><p>“What?” Chloe asks, her focus taken off of the inert vibrator placed against her body.</p><p>“I ran into Eri- … Abel at the supermarket the other day. He told me everything, and I’m just … I don’t know if I should be friends with him anymore.”</p><p>Chloe furrows her eyebrows, “Why not? Because of how old he is?”</p><p>“That’s what I said,” Lucifer chimes in, “I told her my body doesn’t nearly show my age. Certainly, Darling, <em>you </em>can attest to that.</p><p>“because he lied to me,” Ella says, shaking her head, “I mean … that and the fact that he got you possessed, killed some random dude, and almost caused the entire city to be set on fire like some steak at a fourth of July party.”</p><p>Chloe laughs, “I’m dating the Devil,” she says.</p><p>Lucifer and Ella look at each other. Lucifer seems somewhat offended while Ella feels like that cleared something up for her.</p><p>“Point taken,” she says before shaking her head and turning to Chloe, “He nearly got you killed.”</p><p>“Yes, Detective. He nearly killed you,” Lucifer says.</p><p>Chloe nods, “I know, but … I nearly die every day. It’s part of my job. Besides, I choose to look at the bright side. If he didn’t do what he did then Lucifer and I wouldn’t be together.”</p><p>“We wouldn’t?” Lucifer asks.</p><p>Chloe smiles and shakes her head, “I mean, not like we are now. You would have continued to not admit your feelings for me, which in turn would have made me continue to think you felt nothing and-“</p><p>“I get it,” Lucifer says.</p><p>Chloe smiles and turns to Ella, “Besides, Lucifer wouldn’t let him just be walking around if he felt Abel was a threat.”</p><p>Lucifer opens his mouth to say something then pauses.</p><p>“No,” he says as if realizing that thought on his own, “No, I wouldn’t.”</p><p>Chloe nods, “See? So clearly, Abel is either not a threat or … I don’t know. Maybe he feels really sorry for what he did.”</p><p>“Well, let’s not assume,” Lucifer says.</p><p>“What was your thought process behind you and Lucifer,” Ella says.</p><p>“To be clear,” Lucifer says, sitting forward, “I never lied.”</p><p>Chloe nods, “He never lied but, I get what you are saying. It’s a tough thing to take in,” she says.</p><p>“You didn’t have much trouble,” Lucifer coos.</p><p>She reaches out and slaps his hand, “Inappropriate,” she says.</p><p>Ella, used to his shenanigans, ignores him and pay attention only to Chloe.</p><p>“Knowing Angels and demons exist is a lot different than being in a –“ Chloe begins</p><p>Lucifer slyly slips his hand into his pocket and finds the remote control for the pair of panties Chloe is wearing.</p><p>Lucifer flips the vibrator to the first setting, and Chloe visibly jumps before her eyes snap to him.</p><p>He tries to hide the grin on his face like he was unaware anything was happening, but she can see the corner of his lips curved into a smile.</p><p>“You okay?” Ella says to Chloe, her eyebrows furrowed.</p><p>Chloe pulls her hand up and pulls a now loose strand of hair behind her ears. She clears her throat, trying to concentrate on something else besides the lovely vibration that is hitting her right on her clit.</p><p>“Mmmhmm,” she says, nodding, “I was just …saying. It’s not that different than…uhm..”</p><p>She tries to string sentences together while her mind is split between focusing on the conversation and focusing on what is happening between her legs.</p><p>Lucifer smiles, “Are you alright? Detective?” he asks, “You seem <em>distracted</em>.”</p><p>She glares at him before turning her head to Ella, her cheeks getting flush as she sets her hand in her lap.</p><p>“You and Maze had a physical relationship,” she says, “Right?”</p><p>“Well… yeah,” Ella said.</p><p>“How is this any different?” Chloe asks.</p><p>Ella pauses and thinks about it for a second.</p><p>How is it any different? Well, for one, she hadn’t started to develop feelings for Maze. Maze didn’t also try to kill her friends.</p><p>She sighs and shakes her head, “I just … I <em>know</em> I shouldn’t legitimately be considering someone who almost killed my friends …,” she says.</p><p>Chloe crosses her legs, squeezing them together as the sensation between her legs makes her neck flush even more. She cranes her neck, trying to wrestle control over her mind's thought processes and focus on the conversation at hand.</p><p>Lucifer doesn’t think she is reacting enough, so he flicks the vibrator setting higher, and Chloe visibly lowers her head, her hand resting above her crotch. He stares at her, feeling his own pants start to tighten.</p><p>“But …he was really sweet to me. You know? Even with all that shit he did, he was charming to me,” Ella says to herself, “That means there has to be good somewhere in him, right? And … and maybe he is a better person now. Maybe he <em>truly</em> feels bad about what he did.”</p><p>“Is that all it takes?” Lucifer asks, “Someone being sweet to you? Because I hate to say you are setting your bar exceptionally low, Ms. Lopez.”</p><p>She sighs.</p><p>“Should I call him back?” Ella asks, turning to Chloe, “Like ...maybe just as friends. We can be friends, right? That won’t cause some ... biblical end of times thing, right?”</p><p>Chloe nods, not even paying attention to what Ella is saying anymore.</p><p>“Yup. Sure,” Chloe says nodding, her eyes half closed.</p><p>Lucifer watches her, a dark lust developing behind his eyes.</p><p>“I don’t know. I just… Oh! Did I forget to mention he’s a priest now?” Ella says.</p><p>Lucifer’s eyes snaps to her, “A priest?” he asks.</p><p>Chloe’s eyes, on the other hand, go to the ceiling as Ella speaks, thankful for the break in attention to her. She’s listening, but her mind is thinking about something else.</p><p>She shuts them, her head tilted back, and her lips shut tight, holding a - definitely not a squeak - in.</p><p>Ella nods, “A freaking priest. Even if I wanted to do romantic things with him, which I’m not saying I do, but if I did … I mean … I would feel just <em>bad</em>.”</p><p>Lucifer chuckles, “Ms. Lopez, I assure you this particular priest has been corrupted enough.”</p><p>Ella sighs, the weight of her decision showing through her heavy breath.</p><p>“The world’s first murder victim,” she says to herself, “how apropos.”</p><p>Her eyes drift to Chloe, who has her eyes closed, her legs crossed, and a red flush around the collar of her shirt.</p><p>“Are you sure you’re okay, you’re looking flushed,” Ella says.</p><p>Chloe opens her eyes, her lids heavy, and her eyes foggy.</p><p>“Yeah,” she says breathily, “it uh … it must be the coffee.”</p><p>Ella narrows her eyes. Lucifer flicks the speed up, and Chloe reels her hands back, gripping the edge of the seat with white knuckles. Ella furrows her eyebrows.</p><p>“Is someone’s phone ringing?” she asks, pressing her hands against her leg to see if it is her phone that is vibrating.</p><p>Lucifer bursts into laughter.</p><p>“Shut up,” Chloe says breathily.</p><p>“Down,” she begs, “Turn it down.”</p><p>Lucifer smiles and fumbles in his pocket for a second. He presses the button to turn it down but accidentally turns it up. Chloe tosses her head back and covers her mouth as a soft squeal comes from out of it.</p><p>Ella raises her eyes, suddenly very aware of what is happening and suddenly <em>very </em>uncomfortable.</p><p>“Lucifer!” Chloe pleads beneath her breath.</p><p>“Sorry, Darling. Wrong button,” he says, taking the remote out of his pocket so he could see it in the light.</p><p>He turns it off, and she relaxes back in her seat, breathing heavy.</p><p>“You haven’t been listening to a single thing I’ve said, have you?” Ella says, her shoulders lax and completely ignoring what the hell is going on in favor of her own personal crises.</p><p>Chloe clears her throat, “No, of course. Yea, you have feelings you don’t think you should, and you’re afraid you’ll be judged for it.”</p><p>“As much as I am not a fan of where said feelings are directed,” Lucifer says, “I accept your right to feel that way and …”</p><p>He takes in a deep sigh and steadies himself like he’s going to say something he hates.</p><p>“Give my … blessing for you to pursue said feelings if you choose.”</p><p>“Thanks, guys,” Ella says, frustrated, “That’s not helpful but … thanks.”</p><p>She sighs, and she turns around before walking back to her lab.</p><p>“She’s an angry little one today, isn’t she?” Lucifer says, turning to Chloe.</p><p>Chloe attempts to regain some composure and sits up. She looks around, her head low to make sure no one caught that. She scoots up to her desk.</p><p>“You-,” she says, her voice croaky.</p><p>She clears her throat.</p><p>“You said that was for lunch,” she says, sounding annoyed.</p><p>He smiles and scoots his chair closer.</p><p>“Nothing wrong with a little test,” he says.</p><p>She clears her throat, “Well this isn’t the appropriate place to-“</p><p>He flips the vibrator on again, and she coughs.</p><p>“Lucifer!” she says, her voice low and whispered, but he can still hear her incredulous tone.</p><p>“Give me that!” she says, reaching for the remote. He pulls it away from her.</p><p>“Now, now Detective,” he says, “Relax. I’m just as invested in your appearance as a professional in the workplace as you are. But, while we are here … why not have a little fun.”</p><p>“Lucifer, I-“ she says as he flips the switch higher.</p><p>It shuts her up, and she closes her eyes.</p><p>He chuckles warmly in her ear, sitting closer as he rests an arm on the back of her chair. He leans in close, his words hot on her ear and low.</p><p>“What case are you working on today, Detective?” he asks, his eyes averted to her file.</p><p>He nods to the paper, his eyes insisting she keep up appearances. She turns her eyes to the file in front of her.</p><p>“I uhm …”</p><p>“Uh huh?” he asks, a grin on his face.</p><p>“It’s uhm…<em>Fuck</em>,” she curses beneath her breath.</p><p>“Does it feel good?” he asks, a want behind his words.</p><p>She doesn’t say anything. She just exhales heavily, trying hard to keep her composure. He looks down to see her hips gyrating slow and almost imperceptibly.</p><p>He chuckles warmly before turning his head behind her, his eyes facing somewhere else, but his words directed low and warm into her ear.</p><p>“I want you to imagine it’s my tongue vibrating between those delicious lips of yours,” he says.</p><p>She picks up her pen, her handshaking, and looks around cautiously. Her eyes wanting to make sure no one is watching her. She feels like all eyes are on her and … <em>fuck</em>, she shouldn’t be this wet.</p><p>“I wish I could show you how hard I am thinking about you wet and ready to be filled. Do you think any of your coworkers are privy to the going ons between those delicious legs of yours?” He asks.</p><p>His hand slides across her leg, and it lodges itself between her thighs. He can feel the vibration and the heat here.</p><p>“Don’t look,” he says, seeing her head moving to look down, “Keep staring forward,”</p><p>She listens to him, her chest rising and falling as she tries to control her breathing. She shuts her eyes as a wave of pleasure hits her. A moan gets caught in her throat and sounds like the beginning of a cough. She tries to focus on the words in front of her, but all she can think about is the vibration and his hand planted between her legs. She opens her legs for him, and his fingers slide closer, pushing the vibrator closer to her body.</p><p>“Does it turn you on to know how wet you are at work?” he asks, “because I’m exceptionally erect thinking about it.”</p><p>She hums, thrusting into his hand gently, her eyes looking around and surveying. She is terrified of being caught, but the fear mixes with excitement and turns into arousal that makes the vibrator glide easier over the slick skin between her legs.</p><p>This wasn’t her. This wasn’t what she did, but she can’t help but find it arousing. Him whispering into her ear as her body betrayed her otherwise put together and professional nature.</p><p>“I love that this is the one place you won’t let me have you, but here we are …watching you crumble at your desk. I dare say you have a streak of exhibitionism in you yet, Detective.”</p><p>“Shut up,” she whispers, a whine on her voice as she grinds into his hand harder.</p><p>She was telling him to shut up, defiance in her voice even as she was giving into him. If she were being honest though, she didn’t want him to shut up. His voice in her ear was the thing pushing her to deafen the alarms in her head. The ones saying this was wrong. This wasn’t her.</p><p><em>The devil told me to do it</em>, she could say. The devil was whispering hot words into her ear.</p><p>“Do you remember the last time I licked you clean?” he asks, turning his head so that their eyes meet, “hmm?”</p><p>His eyes are dark and filled with lust, but so are hers. They are both aware of the barrier between them. Of being unable to strip right then and there and give in to their darkest desires. Even so, she wouldn’t let him have her here. That has become painfully apparently, as painfully apparent as the erection straining against the fabric of his pants.</p><p>They stare at each other, their lips too close for comfort.</p><p>They lock eyes, both unaware of the world around them, as the world around them is unaware of them.</p><p>Well, except for Ella. She stands in her lab, her eyes flicking up to them every so often, trying to get it out of her mind what they are doing. She wanted that, someone who could move her to do something risky in public.</p><p>Her mind briefly moves onto Abel, or Eric. She didn’t know what to call him, but the thought crosses her mind that perhaps she just … she needed some form of closure. The truth, in all its forms, from him.</p><p>She sighs and looks down at her phone.</p><p>“No,” she says, snapping away from it.</p><p>She turns her eyes back up to Chloe and Lucifer. They are staring into one another’s eyes, and he is saying something to her that makes her eyelids heavy with want. To anyone who might accidentally lay eyes on them, they look like they are just speaking with one another in hushed tones.</p><p>At her desk, Chloe continues to softly grind against Lucifer’s hand, staring into his eyes.</p><p>“I can’t wait to get you back to my place and feel your body around my cock,” he says.</p><p>She closes her eyes, momentarily, a hot pant exiting her mouth on the back of a hum. It Is a moan, if Lucifer ever heard one, but the tame version. The version she is allowing herself.</p><p>His grin widens as she opens her eyes and is met with his face again.</p><p>“How I wish you’d put away your pride-“ he begins, his eyes flipping down to her lips.</p><p>His own restraint beginning to buckle beneath the weight of his desire to have her. He wants to kiss her, to feel her smooth lips on his own, and lick the heat from her neck.</p><p>“and let me fuck you in the stair-,” he continues to say, but before he can finish his sentence, her eyes roll back into her head, and she lowers her head onto his shoulder, gripping his arm tightly. A low whimper gets caught in her throat, and he hisses, knowing she is having an orgasm and wishing he could feel it. He can feel the pulse on his hand, her body tensing and relaxing causes the vibrator to push against his hand in a unique and non-mechanical rhythm.</p><p>He reaches down the remote and flicks the off switch as she clings to him still. Her breathing erratic, but quiet.</p><p>“I think you’re getting better at keeping quiet my love,” he says with a grin, “I believe we may be ready for something more … <em>risky</em>.”</p><p>She lets go of his arm and reaches up to brush the multiple strands of hair that have fallen astray back onto her head. They don’t stay, and she gives up before reaching back and taking her ponytail fully out. She shakes her hair and pulls it back until all the hair is entrapped in her grasp. She then ties it into a neater ponytail. She pulls both herself and her hair together.</p><p>“Not the cleanup I was hoping for,” he says, scooting his chair back into position and fiddling with the buttons on his jacket to hide his erection, “but I suppose it will do for now.”</p><p>She clears her throat and reaches for the lukewarm cup of coffee on her desk. She takes a sip to center herself.</p><p>She looks around for a moment, the haze of her arousal fading from her eyes and leaving behind only worry, fear.</p><p>Had someone seen them?</p><p>Did they know what just happened?</p><p>What about cameras?</p><p>Her eyes flip over to the Lieutenant's office. Had the Lieutenant seen her?</p><p>She finds Natalie busy speaking with a woman and a man in her office. She hadn’t even noticed them walk by her desk. Did they notice her? Were they talking about them? Oh, fuck was she going to get fired?</p><p>“Everyone here is working, Detective,” Lucifer says, watching the panic in her face as she looks around.</p><p>“No one saw us.”</p><p>“Hey,” they hear.</p><p>Chloe jumps, and they turn to see Maze approaching Chloe’s desk. Her arms are crossed, and her eyes are focused on the Lieutenant's office.</p><p>She nods towards Natalie’s office.</p><p>“What is she doing here?” she asks.</p><p>Lucifer and Chloe turn their glances again to Natalie’s office.</p><p>Inside her office, Natalie, Liz, and a man who’s back is turned to them, are having a conversation. Liz nods and turns to the man. She says something, and he nods and stands. Maze’s eyes drop from annoyance to interest … interest that one might read as jealousy.</p><p>--</p><p>“I’ll be out in a second,” Liz says to the man.</p><p>He nods and stands up before turning and leaving the office. He opens the door and lets it fall closed behind him. Liz watches as he walks a few feet, then pauses as he notices Maze is looking at him. He makes a wide arc from Maze, looks back at Liz, and continues towards the stairwell.</p><p>Liz turns to Natalie.</p><p>“I’ll have the paperwork submitted by this evening, and we can consider this issue solved.”</p><p>Natalie nods, “Good,” she says, turning back to her paper, “I appreciate your timeliness on this matter. Ms. Smith may be aggressive, but she is the best bounty hunter we-”</p><p>Liz sighs and leans back in her seat, “I’m so happy this is done,” Liz interrupts, ”I’ve literally closed four cases today, and thank fuck I did because our plane is supposed to leave tomorrow.”</p><p>Liz smiles, elated while Natalie just stares at her, her eyes narrowed. She begins to rock back and forth in her seat, the springs squeaking. It catches Liz's attention.</p><p>“Oh no,” she says, tilting her head in resignation, “Don’t tell me you want to go back on our deal.”</p><p>Natalie shakes her head, “No. I think Mr. Hamilton is getting away with quite a decent settlement considering all of his warrants.”</p><p>“So, what is it? Why are you looking at me like you’re pissed?” Liz says.</p><p>Natalie shakes her head, “It’s nothing. It’s just … it’s nothing.”</p><p>Liz sighs, “Out with it, Nat. You know I hate it when you do that. You let things stew until they are a way bigger deal than they should be. Come on, out with it.”</p><p>Natalie stops rocking in her chair, her jaw tense.</p><p>“Okay fine … fine,” she says, “I’m just curious …who’s idea was it to invite Father Grayson to your wedding?”</p><p>Liz pauses and sighs as if she knows where this is going.</p><p>“It was Maggie’s idea, he’s the closet thing she has to a Father and-“</p><p>“and she couldn’t get someone else to walk her down the aisle? One of the nuns, perhaps? Mother April was practically a sister to us growing up.”</p><p>“Nat,” Liz says, already exhausted from this conversation.</p><p>“And when were you going to tell me?” Natalie says before pausing, “Oh right, never. You were just going to allow me to discover that on my own.”</p><p>“Nat, it’s not that big of a deal,” Liz says.</p><p>Natalie raises her eyebrows, “Not that big of a deal?” she says as if she can’t believe what she is hearing.</p><p>“We’re not going to disinvite someone so important to Maggie because of a minor disagreement,” Liz says.</p><p>“Min-“ Natalie says, her words getting caught in her mouth.</p><p>Her brain tries to process the sheer fucked-up-ness of what Liz is telling her right now.</p><p>“Minor disagreement?!” Natalie says, pissed off, “A minor disagreement would be we don’t share the same sports team, or- or he wanted to paint the walls of the hallway grey, and I wanted a beige instead.”</p><p>Liz shakes her head, “Okay maybe that is the wrong term-“</p><p>“<em>that</em> is a minor disagreement. Not …” Natalie begins before pausing, a lump developing in her throat.</p><p>She feels like she’s going to be sick. Or worst … cry.</p><p>“Right, you’re right. It’s the wrong phrase, but Nat, it’s our <em>wedding</em>. I figured you could put aside your differences for one day.”</p><p>Natalie guffaws, completely at a loss by this conversation. Then she pauses, and her face falls as she comes to a realization.</p><p>“You don’t believe me,” Natalie says.</p><p>“Nat,” Liz says, “let’s just drop-“</p><p>“No, no… you don’t believe me, do you?” Natalie says, “All this time, you just ... what? You thought I was making it up?”</p><p>“Nat, I’m going on my honeymoon can we talk about this when I get back?”</p><p>“No, I want you to say it,” Natalie says, “Tell me you don’t believe me.”</p><p>“Nat, seriously, I-“ Liz says.</p><p>“Tell me you don’t believe me, Liz,” Natalie says.</p><p>“This is ridiculous, I’m not going to have this fight-“</p><p>“Tell me you don’t believe me! Say it!” Natalie says.</p><p>“-with you right now. Why are we even talking-“ Liz continues.</p><p>“Say it!” Natalie screams.</p><p>“I don’t believe you!” Liz screams, standing from her chair, frustrated.</p><p>Natalie pauses, exhaling as if Liz had just punched her in the gut.</p><p>Liz shrugs and sets her arms down by her side.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” she says, shrugging, “but I just … it doesn’t make sense to me.”</p><p>Natalie shakes her head, “How … how could you?” she asks, so exceptionally hurt by it that she can’t even hide it.</p><p>Liz shakes her head, “There were a thousand girls at that school with you, Nat. None of them had the same stories. Most of them praised Father Grayson and said he wouldn’t harm a soul. And in the grand scheme of things, there’s nothing special about you. I mean, you’re great. I’m not saying that I’m just saying like … it doesn’t make sense that it’s just you that he would do that to.”</p><p>Natalie sits down in her chair, shocked by what she is hearing.</p><p>“And you were a wild child,” Liz says, “Maggie told me you were constantly getting into trouble. So … I’m sorry, but… your story doesn’t track.”</p><p>Natalie just stares out, completely at a loss of what to say.</p><p>Liz sighs and sits back in her seat.</p><p>“Look, I don’t think you’re a bad person, but … maybe you had a relationship and regretted it. Or maybe it was one of your foster parents, and you’re just … putting it on Father Grayson because he’s an easy target. You know, kids do some terrible things when they are hurt and…”</p><p>Liz stops talking when she realizes Natalie is just staring out into nothing. She is in shock, replaying the last five years of her life. Had Liz thought she was a liar this whole time? What did she think of Natalie? Obviously not much if this entire time she had thought she would make up such a …disturbing lie.</p><p>“Maybe now would be a good time to finally go see a therapist,” Liz says, “I mean you have a good job now, you certainly make enough money and … you have time.”</p><p>Liz reaches forward, sliding her hand over Natalie’s. Natalie’s eyes drop down to it.</p><p>“I’m worried about you,” Liz says, “as a friend.”</p><p>Natalie looks up at Liz, her eyes wild. She pulls her hand back away from Liz’s touch.</p><p>“Friend?” Natalie says, shaking her head, “No … no, we’re not friends. We’ve never been friends.”</p><p>Liz furrows her eyebrows, “Nat, don’t make this into a <em>thing</em>.”</p><p>Natalie shakes her head, “You think I’m a liar. You think I’ve just been making shit up this whole time. You’re not my friend. You’re a two-faced cunt whose only interest is you or yourself.”</p><p>Liz pauses, shocked at that.</p><p>“I … <em>whoa</em>, Nat. I …,” Liz says.</p><p>Natalie shakes her head, “I told you. I told you what he did. You knew! You knew, and you had him officiate your fucking wedding,” Natalie says, the hurt coming through her voice, “The wedding that you practically begged me to come to <em>knowing</em> that he would be there. I couldn’t even look at you without seeing him!”</p><p>“That is not what happened,” Liz says.</p><p>“And worst, you didn’t even tell me! You didn’t even give me a choice to say no. You …” Natalie pauses and tenses her jaw.</p><p>She makes a strange sound as if holding something in. Her jaw pulsates, and her eyes stare forward. She is focused on keeping whatever it is in. When the urge passes, she turns her eyes up to Liz and shakes her head.</p><p>“But you don’t care, do you? You don’t care, and you never cared because you <em>never</em> believed me. Just like half the fucking church, you never believed me.”</p><p>Lis sighs, “What was I supposed to do Nat? Tell Maggie the only father figure she had ever known can’t come to her wedding because Natalie says he raped her like 20 years ago? Maybe I disinvite the bartender because you claim he looked at you weird last week too? Get real.”</p><p>Natalie stares at Liz, her eyebrows furrowed. Her eyes are locked on Liz in a death stare.</p><p>The silence in the office is deafening.</p><p>Natalie is … quiet. Numb.</p><p>Natalie shuts her eyes and tilts her head from side to side, trying to snap the tension in her neck that threatens to take her back there. To a young Natalie frozen in fear.</p><p>To an Angry Natalie, fighting out against the pain in the only way she knew how.</p><p>To drowning her sadness in women and alcohol.</p><p>To a vulnerability she only remembers in one instance of her life. Where everything had been laid bare, and she had been left to collect the pieces of her existence. To build herself up from scratch.</p><p>Alone.</p><p>Abandoned by God and Family.</p><p>To the moment, she completely lost the only stable thing she had known, her religion.</p><p>“You’re strange, Nat. You’ve always been, and yes, it is what attracted me to you at first but … the world doesn’t revolve around your feelings. You said yourself,” Liz says, pointing, “you work on logic and proof. Where is the logic in that? Or furthermore, where is the proof?”</p><p>Natalie shakes her head, “How do you think that makes me feel?” she says, her voice low and fragile.</p><p>“To think that I couldn’t even <em>trust</em> you,” she says.</p><p>Liz scoffs, “Nat … honestly. Can we do this after my honeymoon? I … this is a lot to unpack.”</p><p>Natalie hums to herself, reaching up to scratch her nose.</p><p>“I tell you what. How about you go on your honeymoon and enjoy it. Enjoy your life being a narcissistic, cold, calculated sociopath. Because I …” she says, raising her shoulders and shaking her head, “I don’t ever want to speak to you again.”</p><p>Liz sighs, “Nat…”</p><p>“I can and am willing to forgive a lot of things that you’ve done, but … I can’t forgive this,” she says.</p><p>Liz shakes her head, “Nat, you know this is not how I-,” she begins to say.</p><p>“Just get out,” Natalie says, her head turning away, nothing left to say that isn’t a slew of epithets.</p><p>Nothing left to say that isn’t jumping over the table and strangling Liz with her bare hands.</p><p>“Get out of my office,” She says, her jaw clenched and back turned.</p><p>Liz sighs and shakes her head, “I’ll let you cool off,” she says, leaning down to grab her briefcase. She quietly reaches down to pick up her briefcase and heads towards the door. She opens it for a moment before pausing and turning around. Natalie still has her back turned, staring out the small windows above the file cabinet.</p><p>Liz sighs and leaves, the office door shutting behind her.</p><p>--</p><p>Maze narrows her eyes as Liz exits Natalie’s office, having watched that whole exchange. They had gotten into a fight about something, and it seemed like a big one. Liz is walking away, her proverbial tail tucked between her legs, and Natalie is staring out the window, pensive and unmoving.</p><p>Liz doesn’t say anything to Maze, she barely even acknowledges Maze is there. She turns to Maze, smiles, and nods without a word. Maze turns back to Natalie’s office, her lips pursed before she walks forward to find out what that was all about.</p><p>“Are we uhm … where are we going to lunch?” Chloe asks Lucifer as he turns back to her. She is in the middle of fixing her sweater and adjusting herself in her seat, still very aware of where the vibrator in her underwear is sitting.</p><p>“I do hope so,” he says with a smile, “Except perhaps we make a stop in the parking deck to handle my own desire.”</p><p>She narrows her eyes, “I’m not ..,” she says before scooting closer and lowering her voice,” I’m not having sex with you in a parking garage.”</p><p>He smiles and chuckles.</p><p>“We’re not there yet, huh?” he says, sighing, “Very well. You can watch.”</p><p>He stands and fiddles with his button, holding the flap of his jacket over the obvious bulge in his pants.</p><p>She grabs the file in her hand and hands it to him, covering his bulge.</p><p>“Lucifer!” she says looking around as she stands.</p><p>He chuckles.</p><p>“Darling, if there is anything I’ve learned about humans in all my years, it is that you are all very preoccupied with yourselves. Short of shagging loudly on your desk, no one here is going to notice us because they don’t care to.”</p><p>She still looks around, cautious. He sighs.</p><p>“We’re going to have to work on your paranoia, Detective,” he says as he walks forward.</p><p>“Wha … where are you going?”</p><p>“Lunch,” he says, “Care to join?”</p><p>She adjusts her jacket and follows him, trying to play it cool like she didn’t just cum at her desk.</p><p>--</p><p>Maze walks into Natalie’s office, her arms crossed. She lets the door shut behind her.</p><p>“What was that?” she asks as if she caught Natalie doing something.</p><p>Natalie turns to Maze.</p><p>Her eyes snap up and down Maze’s frame for a moment before she turns back to the window, her arms crossed.</p><p>“Didn’t think I’d be seeing you in the daylight,” she says, calmly, her voice flat and monotone.</p><p>“I was under the impression I’d only see you when the sun goes down.”</p><p>“Shouldn’t she be on her honeymoon?” Maze says, skipping the banter.</p><p>“She had a few cases that need to be closed before she can go. Considering you attributed to that, I thought you might understand,” Natalie says, still staring, lost, out the window.</p><p>“What are you talking about?” Maze asks.</p><p>“You broke that man’s arm,” Natalie says, turning to Maze.</p><p>“It was self-defense,” Maze responds.</p><p>“They have video evidence suggesting it was not,” Natalie replies, staring Maze down.</p><p>“They are lying,” Maze says.</p><p>“No, <em>you</em> are lying,” Natalie says, snapping at Maze.</p><p>Maze furrows her eyebrows, surprised at how quickly Natalie moved from calm to pissed.</p><p>“You are lying to me. Which is fine, if that’s what you want to do. But do keep in mind I just had to let my <em>bitch</em> of an ex win yet <em>another</em> fight to cover your ass and save this precincts reputation.”</p><p>Maze narrows her eyes.</p><p>“If you’re going to lie to me, at least let me know next time, so I don’t stick up for you. I have enough liars in my life, I don’t need one more.”</p><p>“I didn’t ask you to stick up for me,” Maze says.</p><p>Natalie’s scoffs and shakes her head.</p><p>“My mistake. I thought you and I had an understanding. I suppose I was wrong,” Natalie says, turning back to the window.</p><p>“I suppose I’m always wrong,” she says.</p><p>Natalie doesn’t say anything for a long time, and Maze just stands there.</p><p>“You can go,” Natalie says.</p><p>“Come on,” Maze says, “I know you’re mad but-“</p><p>“You and I have nothing to talk about,” Natalie says, “I’d like to get back to my work if you don’t mind.”</p><p>“Really?” Maze says, shocked and annoyed, “because it looks like you’re just staring out a window.”</p><p>Natalie doesn’t say anything.</p><p>Maze lowers her shoulders and grunts, frustrated. Her grunt turns into a growl, and then she sighs.</p><p>“Fine. It wasn’t self-defense I just … I didn’t like the asshole, okay?” Maze says.</p><p>Natalie doesn’t say anything. She just continues to stare, her eyes distant.</p><p>Maze approaches Natalie’s desk.</p><p>“You’re right, I lied, and I shouldn’t have done that. We <em>do </em>have an understanding, and I shouldn’t have done it.”</p><p>“I’m,” Maze begins, grimacing at the idea of what she is about to say, “sorry,” she finishes.</p><p>Natalie doesn’t turn around, she just stares out.</p><p>Maze watches her for a second, her shoulders dropping.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” she says, this time sincerity in her tone.</p><p>Natalie blinks, her eyes suddenly in focus again. Still, she remains silent, unmoving. Natalie’s eyes turn to the direction of Maze, without her head actually shifting.</p><p>Maze watches her, unsure of what to do.</p><p>‘Honestly, I’m sorry,” Maze says, “It won’t happen again. Demon’s oath.”</p><p>“What did he do?” Natalie asks, her eyes turning to Maze.</p><p>It’s the first time Maze sees the shimmering glaze over Natalie’s eyes. It catches her off guard.</p><p>Maze furrows her eyebrows, “What did who do?”</p><p>“You hated him so much that you broke his arm. What did he do to deserve that?” Natalie says, turning her body fully to Maze.</p><p>Maze pauses.</p><p>“You<em> know</em> how I feel about following the law. What did he do to make you subvert the justice system and take matters into your own hands?” Natalie asks.</p><p>“He fucked my friend,” Maze says.</p><p>Natalie stares at Maze, unmoving. She’s hard to read and – strangely - it makes Maze uncomfortable.</p><p>“He fucked her, took her virginity, and ghosted her. Completely ignored her,” Maze says.</p><p>Natalie stares at Maze, her eyes turning to the floor before she turns around and stares back out the window.</p><p>“She forgave him but … I don’t,” Maze says, “I don’t really care about virginity, but you people find it important so … he took it and made her feel like shit, and I thought, I thought maybe he needed to pay for that. You know, outside of the clearly <em>illegal</em> stuff he did.”</p><p>Natalie stands there, staring out the window for a long time before she hums to herself.</p><p>“Should have broken the other arm,” she says, finally.</p><p>Maze smiles and crosses her arm, “You keep that language up, and <em>you </em>might be considered a vigilante.”</p><p>Natalie sighs and continues to stare out the window.</p><p>“I don’t like it,” Natalie says, “but I understand it.”</p><p>Maze stands there for a second before Natalie goes silent again. There is a strange feeling in the air.</p><p>Maze shifts on her feet.</p><p>“Is uhm … everything okay?” she finally asks.</p><p>That causes the tears to well in Natalie’s eyes as if she had been holding on, and suddenly she is incapable of it anymore.</p><p>She swallows, trying to swallow this feeling, but it continues to rise in her throat.</p><p>In her chest.</p><p>She continues to stares out the window.</p><p>The room is silent for a long time.</p><p>“No,” she finally says, the welling in her eyes breaking and tears beginning to fall.</p><p>“Could you … draw the blinds, please?” Natalie asks.</p><p>Maze can hear it in her voice, she’s barely holding on.</p><p>“She’s not worth it,” Maze says, stepping forward and trying to calm Natalie.</p><p>“I know but I,” Natalie inhaling rapidly, starting to hyperventilate, “I-”</p><p>Natalie shakes her head, trying to hold it back.</p><p>“I feel…,” Natalie says, her voice hitching as she tries to hold back her tears.</p><p>Maze narrows her eyes, “You feel.”</p><p>She pauses and starts to understand what is happening.</p><p>“You feel!” Maze says before turning and quickly beginning to shut all the blinds to Natalie’s office.</p><p>Natalie struggles to hold on, her arms crossing across her body, holding herself. Her shoulders begin to heave as her lungs stutter, and her face collapses into complete and undignified grief.</p><p>The second the last blind closes, Natalie moves forward, setting shaky hands on the filing cabinet in front of the windows.</p><p>“You … you can go,” Natalie says, between tense breaths and small whimpers</p><p>Maze furrows her eyebrows and walks closer. It’s the first time she’s felt needed in a very long time.</p><p>“Do you want me to?” Maze asks, slowly approaching the desk.</p><p>Natalie stares out, tears welling in her eyes and blurring her vision. Her eyes dart back and forth over the cabinet, peering into something else in her mind.</p><p>Her lip quivers as tears freely fall from her face.</p><p>“No,” she musters, but she says it in a high pitched voice that turns into a squeal, then a silenced wail.</p><p>She lets go of the cabinet, her body slowly falling along its edge. By the time she collapses to the floor, Maze is already beneath her, cradling her.</p><p>Natalie weeps uncontrollably into Maze’s arms. Maze just stares forward, eyes wide, and unsure of what is going on.</p><p>Unsure of why she feels the need to break <em>all</em> of Liz’s limbs.</p><p>
  <strong>--</strong>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The sun drops over the horizon, and the night sky is littered with stars and the haze of Los Angeles nightlife.</p><p>It is much later in the evening, and Linda, Ella, and Chloe sit in a private booth at LUX with a half-empty tray of shots in front of them.</p><p>“What do you think?” Ella asks, “You’re the therapist. Am I crazy here?”</p><p>Linda smiles, downs the shot she had in her hands, and leans forward to set the empty glass on the tray.</p><p>“First,” she says, holding out a drunk finger, “We don’t use that word. There are no crazy people, just unfortunate circumstances.”</p><p>“Right, I’m sorry,” Ella says, “I’m just-“</p><p>“Second,” Linda continues, “You’re young. You only live once. If you like him, why be put off by his history? <em>Everyone</em> has a history.”</p><p>Ella sighs, nodding to herself. Linda was right.</p><p>“I mean in this case it is quite <em>literally </em>history,” Linda continues, “but …just <em>talk </em>to him. Maybe just be friends with him and see where – if anything - that leads. You don’t have to marry the guy, but if you want to talk to him, then talk to him.”</p><p>Chloe nods, “I have to agree,” she says as she sips on a girly drink and then sits back in her chair, “so what if he tried to murder me…”</p><p>Ella drops her shoulders.</p><p>“Right, he needs to murder that pussy,” Linda says, taking another shot.</p><p>Chloe guffaws and Ella turns beet red.</p><p>“<em>That</em> is funny,” Chloe says.</p><p>Chloe has an air about her that is comfortable and relaxed. It’s probably the first time she has been comfortable and relaxed for the past three months.</p><p>“You see?” Linda says, pointing to Choe, “She’s finally getting good sex, and suddenly every sexual joke is hilarious.”</p><p>“I’ll have you know its been three months,” Chloe says.</p><p>“Yeah, because Lucifer was dead,” Linda says.</p><p>Chloe’s smile falls, and a weird tension climbs over all three of them.</p><p>“I … I didn’t mean-,” Linda begins to say.</p><p>“No, it’s fine. It … it is what it is,” Chloe says.</p><p>Chloe reaches out and takes another shot, and Linda and Ella meet eyes.</p><p>“Besides, I mean think of it this way,” Linda says, turning to Ella, “say you two don’t get romantically involved, fine. Maybe you two just aren’t a match. That’s okay. At the very least, you can be friends. He might need a friend who knows who he<em> really </em>is, who understands that. I don’t have to imagine how lonely it feels to have someone not believe or accept you when you tell them who you really are.”</p><p>Ella stares at Linda, narrows her eyes and groans.</p><p>“When you put it like that… Ugh. You’re right.”</p><p>“I know,” Linda says with a smile.</p><p>“Besides,” Linda says, nodding towards Chloe, “After these two, any problem seems easy as shit.”</p><p>“Hey!” Chloe says, leaning forward, “it wasn’t that bad.”</p><p>“Oh, wasn’t it? How long has it taken you two to admit feelings for each other?”</p><p>Chloe scoffs.</p><p>Ella shakes her head, “It was horrible. It’s like running out of batteries just seconds away from an orgasm for two years.”</p><p>Linda laughs, and Ella chuckles. Chloe, on the other hand, blushes.</p><p>Ella remembers the events of earlier, and her eyes widen.</p><p>“Oh!” she says, turning to Linda, “Speaking of orgasm, let me tell you what these two did.”</p><p>“No!” Chloe says, reaching out to cover Ella’s mouth.</p><p>They all Laugh as Ella tries to move away from Chloe. Their laughter dies down as Maze and Natalie move into the private booth and have a seat.</p><p>Ella and Chloe pause, suddenly very aware that their boss is in the booth with them. Linda catches the change in demeanor but only tilts her head as she realizes how close Maze is sitting to Natalie.</p><p>Natalie smiles softly as she sits down, and Ella and Chloe look at each other. Chloe pulls herself off of Ella, and straightens up as she sits down.</p><p>“Good Evening, Lieutenant,” Chloe says, clearing her throat and trying to look more sober than she actually is.</p><p>Natalie waves her off, “Please, just call me Natalie for the evening,” she says.</p><p>Ella’s eyes raise.</p><p>“No way! Really?”</p><p>Natalie laughs and nods, “This is a social gathering, and it would be strange to refer to each other by our professional titles.”</p><p>Ella nods, a wide grin on her mouth, “Shut up. Really? Okay… <em>Natalie</em>,” she says, far more pleasure coming out of saying her name than there should be.</p><p>Natalie smiles, and Maze leans into her.</p><p>“You’re going to regret that on Monday,” she whispers.</p><p>“I have no doubt,” Natalie responds.</p><p>Maze turns back to the group and notices Linda is staring at Natalie. Her smile falls, and she straightens her back.</p><p>“Uhm, this is Linda,” Maze says, raising a hand to Linda, “She’s like … my favorite human and she’s good at brain stuff.”</p><p>“Aww,” Ella says, “I thought I was your favorite human?”</p><p>Maze nods, “You’ve made the top of the list,” she says as a consolation.</p><p>Chloe turns to Ella, “Just take it.”</p><p>Natalie nods to Linda, “Nice to meet you,” she says politely.</p><p>“And you,” Linda says, a knowing smile behind her eyes.</p><p>“You know, I didn’t mean to interfere on your night,” Natalie says, looking over the woman before turning to Maze, “I needed a drink, and Ms. Smith informed me she could get them for free here, so … I came.”</p><p>Linda narrows her eyes, studying Natalie.</p><p>“If I had known it was a social gathering, I would have declined out of respect,” Natalie says.</p><p>Ella waves her off, “Psh! You’re always welcome, Natalie,” she says grinning.</p><p>“Yeah, you’re totally going to regret that,” Maze says, chuckling, her arms crossed.</p><p>Chloe nudges Ella in the rib with her elbow.</p><p>“Maze doesn’t have many friends,” Linda says, “but the ones she does have she is fiercely loyal to. As are we.”</p><p>Natalie narrows her eyes and stares at Linda. She tilts her head before turning to look at Maze, who - oddly enough – seems embarrassed.</p><p>“As it should be,” she says, turning to Linda.</p><p>Linda smiles, and they all sit for a moment, trying to recalibrate how they should behave.</p><p>Natalie tilts her head, looks at Maze then at the women in front of her.</p><p>“Which one of you dated Matthew Hamilton?” Natalie asks.</p><p>Chloe and Linda look at her, confused while Ella tilts her head.</p><p>“How do you know Matt?” she asks.</p><p>Natalie smiles and nods.</p><p>She chuckles to herself and turns to Maze.</p><p>“Yeah, you should have broken both his arms,” Natalie says.</p><p>“Oh, don’t encourage her,” Ella says, clearly still upset about that.</p><p>Maze grins and reaches forward to grab two shots off the center of the table. She hands one to Natalie.</p><p>“Encourage me,” Maze says.</p><p>“Oh, no, I don’t do hard liquor,” Natalie says, waving Maze off.</p><p>“Oh come on, it’s tradition. Just do one, and you can get whatever bullshit drink you normally get,” Maze says.</p><p>Natalie accepts the shot, “It’s not bullshit,” Natalie says.</p><p>Maze tosses the shots back. Natalie takes a look at the shot, then looks around at everyone. She grunts and nods.</p><p>“Okay,” she says, looking back at the shot.</p><p>She brings it up to her lips and pauses. She pulls it away from her lips.</p><p>They all stare at her as she holds the shot up to her lips, patiently.</p><p>“Maze was joking, you don’t have to-,” Linda begins to say.</p><p>“No, no,” Natalie says, “It’s fine it just … it takes me a second. You know, psyching myself up.”</p><p>She pulls the shot to her lips and holds it there again before pulling it away.</p><p>“I’m going to do it,” she says.</p><p>Maze narrows her eyes, and Chloe and Ella begin to giggle. Somehow their <em>kick ass and take names</em> boss is having a problem with a shot.</p><p>Linda leans forward and grabs a shot off the tray, “Here, let’s all take a shot,” Linda says.</p><p>Ella, Chloe, and Maze take the last three shots on the tray and hold it up to cheer. All four women dink their shots together and down it.</p><p>Natalie brings the shot up to her lip, and Maze brings a hand up, gently tilting the shot into Natalie’s mouth. Natalie swallows it and its burns going down. She grimaces, water coming to her eyes at the burn.</p><p>“Ugh,” she says.</p><p>A waiter walks by with a tray of drinks for the booth behind them. Linda reaches out and grabs what appears to be a soda and hands it to Natalie. The waiter pauses, ready to say something until he realizes who the people at the booth are. He decides to continue moving forward.</p><p>“Here,” Linda says.</p><p>Natalie grabs the drink and drinks it.</p><p>Rum and Coke.</p><p>“I didn’t know you were such a bitch,” Maze chuckles.</p><p>“Oh shut up,” Natalie says, elbowing her, “I hate hard liquor. I drank it a lot when I was younger and it just … it gets me too drunk.”</p><p>“Is that why you were so wild back then?” Maze asks.</p><p>Natalie nudges her, her eyes raised and telling her to shut up.</p><p>Linda notices this interaction.</p><p>“So, Natalie. What’s your story? Where are you from?” Linda asks.</p><p>The waiter comes back, picks up the tray of shots, and begins to walk away.</p><p>“Hey,” Maze says, leaning forward, ready to change the subject.</p><p>“How about another round of shots for the table. Make it double,” she says to the waiter.</p><p>He nods and begins to leave.</p><p>Chloe mindlessly sips on her fruity drink.</p><p>Ella stares forward, her legs shaking.</p><p>Suddenly she cracks, and can't hold it in anymore. She flips her body to Linda, “So I should call him, right? But like how long should I wait?”</p><p>Linda laughs.</p><p>“Why are you trying to sweat him out? Just call him and ask him to lunch as friends or something.”</p><p>“He lied to me,” she says, “Shouldn’t I be upset?”</p><p>Linda sighs, “You can’t be that upset if you have this much anxiety over calling him. Don’t worry about what you<em> should </em>feel, just think about what it is you <em>do</em> feel.”</p><p>Ella stares at her, her eyes narrowing.</p><p>Linda reaches out and sets a hand on Ella’s shoulder.</p><p>“Be honest with him. Tell him how much it hurt you that he lied and make a point to have honesty as a core of your relationship moving forward, even If its only friendship. You’re making this way more complicated than it has to be. Starting any relationship without total honesty speaks to a greater immaturity and insecurity that plays into problems down the line.”</p><p>Ella sighs and nods.</p><p>“Fine,” she shrugs, “you’re right. I just … I just need to get it over with.”</p><p>She reaches into her pocket and pulls out her phone.</p><p>“What are you doing?” Chloe says.</p><p>“I’m texting him,” Ella says, starting to text something on her phone.</p><p>Chloe reaches forward and tries to snatch the phone from Ella’s hand, Ella is too fast and turns her body, pushing the phone further away from her.</p><p>“Not when you’ve been drinking!” Chloe says.</p><p>Ella continues to type something before Linda reaches out and grabs the phone.</p><p>“Hey!” Ella says.</p><p>“Uh-uh,” Linda says, “you are going to wait until you are sober to text. I’m keeping this.”</p><p>“No fair!” Ella says, “Everyone has prospects but me. I’m just a squirrel trying to get a nut!”</p><p>“Oh My God,” Chloe says, leaning forward and putting her half-empty glass on the table, “Ella…”</p><p>“You kiss Lucifer with that mouth?” Maze says, disgusted.</p><p>Natalie scoffs into her drink, getting a little coke in her nose. She pulls the beverage away and tabs her nose with her jacket sleeve.</p><p>“Ugh. Fine,” Ella says resigned.</p><p>Natalie chuckles and sits back, her shoulders slump in relaxation. Linda notices the change in her posture.</p><p>“This all seems like way too much over a dude,” Maze says.</p><p>“It’s not just any dude,” Chloe says, turning to Maze,” It’s Abel.”</p><p>Maze’s eyebrows raise, and her eyes snap to Ella. Ella looks as if she’s been caught.</p><p>“Huh,” Natalie says.</p><p>Natalie crosses her arms around her body, “Your friend group certainly has a penchant for biblical names,” she says, “please don’t tell me you have a friend name Eve.”</p><p>Maze ignores Natalie’s comment and sits forward, talking to Ella.</p><p>“I mean sure, I get it. You’re a death analyst, and he’s the first death in existence. It’s actually kind of …fortuitous, don’t you think?”</p><p>Chloe narrows her eyes and leans forward, “How do you know what fortuitous is but not a <em>Forensic scientist</em>?”</p><p>Natalie scoffs, amused, before crossing her legs and bouncing her foot playfully. Linda continues to watch her as if she were evaluating what she is looking at.</p><p>Maze waves Chloe off, “Look. If it’s sex you’re worried about, I’m sure he will be fine. I mean, Lucifer is older than Abel, and he seems to get the job done.”</p><p>“Does he ever,” Chloe says, her eyes suddenly somewhere else.</p><p>Now she’s thinking about it. How long has it been? He was gone for three months, and they didn’t have sex last night so … <em>way</em> too long.</p><p>Dan had Trixie tonight, and she had no curfew so …</p><p>Her eyelids slowly fall, a dark lust bleeding into her otherwise light eyes.</p><p>“So, what if he’s like … a ba-zillion years old,” Maze continues, “His body is new, right? A couple months at this point, so I say hop on that. Just don’t fall asleep on him like you did me.</p><p>“Okay,” Ella says, annoyed, “I was drunk, and it was one time. And you fell asleep on me too, so I would say the score is even.”</p><p>Maze narrows her eyes, “is it though? If I recall, correctly, we are zero to one. As in, I came zero times, and you came once.”</p><p>Ella rolls her eyes, “We’re still on that? How is it my fault you fell asleep when I tried to-” Ella asks.</p><p>Maze shakes her head, “Okay, First of all, Lopez. I just got back from hell …you don’t understand the toll that interdimensional travel takes on your body.”</p><p>Natalie shakes her head, “Are all of your conversations this odd?” she asks, taking another few sips of her – or someone else’s – rum and coke.</p><p>Just then, the waiter comes back and sets a tray of shots on the table.</p><p>Linda leans forward and takes one of the shots, “Absolutely,” she says before downing it.</p><p>“What do you think?” Ella says, leaning forward and looking at Natalie.</p><p>Natalie pauses, caught in the crosshairs.</p><p>“Me?” she says.</p><p>“Yeah,” she says.</p><p>“Oh,” Natalie says turning to Maze, “I mean … I have no opinion. I think whatever you and Ms. Smith decide to do on your personal time is-“</p><p>“Now, I mean what is your opinion of me talking to a guy who essentially ghosted me.”</p><p>“Oh,” Natalie says, “That seems to be a common concern with you. Maybe you might convince this one,” she says nodding to Maze, “to break his arm.”</p><p>Maze shakes her head, “Nah, they haven’t had sex yet,” she says before pausing. She turns to ella.</p><p>“You haven’t had sex with him yet, right?”</p><p>Ella waves her off, “Of course not!” she says before turning back to Natalie, “Like really. What do you think? What would you do?”</p><p>“Uh,” Natalie says, “I think I agree with Linda. If you feel lied to, communicating that you feel lied to and how much that hurt you is better than letting it fester.”</p><p>Natalie’s eyes drop to her glass, “You don’t want to regret giving yourself to someone only to have them turn out to be the exact person you don’t need.”</p><p>“Mm,” Ella says.</p><p>Maze’s eyes move to Natalie, and Linda’s eyes move to Maze. Linda watches how Maze looks at Natalie with such … devotion.</p><p>“I uhm, “Natalie says, clearly uncomfortable with something but pushing through it anyway.</p><p>Turns out, having an outing with female associates was kind of … fun.</p><p>“I recently had a conversation with a long time … a <em>friend,</em> and it felt good. It felt good to clear the air about our relationship. It oddly feels like we know each other better now.”</p><p>Her eyes drift off for a second, “It feels good to be known,” she says.</p><p>She inhales and sends out a soft smile, “Conversely, I also recently had to sever ties with my ex for good. It was … possibly the most unpleasant conversation I have ever had to have, but …”</p><p>She pauses and stares out into nothing, “I think … I think it was needed.”</p><p>Maze reaches out and puts a hand on Natalie’s shoulder. Natalie turns to her, and they lock eyes.</p><p>“You did good,” she says.</p><p>They stare at one another, lost in each other’s gaze. Then a bubble bursts and they realize they aren’t alone. Or rather, Natalie realizes they aren’t alone, and she clears her throat before shrugging Maze’s hand off her.</p><p>Chloe and Ella look at one another. Linda just narrows her eyes, staring at Maze.</p><p>Linda’s eyes drift from Maze back to Natalie.</p><p>“Enough about us,” Linda says, “what about you? You’ve heard our crazy love stories, I’m sure you have something up your sleeve to share with us.”</p><p>Natalie shakes her head and pulls the rum and coke up to her mouth, “I’m not really the sharing type,” she says taking a sip</p><p>“She really isn’t,” Maze says pleased as she turns back to see Ella, Chloe, and Linda looking at her with suspicion.</p><p>“I just … I thought considering the topic I might as well be anecdotal in my response,” Natalie continues.</p><p>“What?” Maze says.</p><p>“It must be difficult dating with your …uhm …side job,” Chloe says, trying not to reveal too much.</p><p>Natalie nods and smiles, “I quit that job a while ago,” she says, ”It was interfering with my day job.”</p><p>Chloe nods and reaches for a shot on the table, “Smart. Though I’m sorry, you had to do that.”</p><p>Natalie nods.</p><p>“Surely, you have<em> some</em> love interest. Some guy – or girl – who catches your fancy?” Linda says, “I mean you’re a rather attractive and successful woman living in Los Angeles.”</p><p>Natalie laughs and takes another sip of her beer, “As if that were the only qualifications.”</p><p>Linda smiles and leans back, her posture very … studious. Maze catches it.</p><p>“Linda …” she says, warning her against psychoanalyzing Natalie.</p><p>Linda shrugs, “I’m just asking a question. We’re just having a good time,” she says.</p><p>Maze narrows her eyes.</p><p>Natalie chuckles and shakes her head.</p><p>“I don’t believe in love,” Natalie says.</p><p>Linda raises her eyebrows, “Oh?”</p><p>Natalie shakes her head, “It works for some people, but … it has never worked for me. I require more than empty words and gestures. Believing in love is akin to having faith in someone and with my job and life experience I …”</p><p>She pauses, staring off into the distance.</p><p>“I lost faith a long time ago,” she says before cutting her eyes back to Linda, “You can only truly rely on yourself.”</p><p>The air is tense and uncomfortable. Natalie catches it and offers an olive branch.</p><p>“and maybe a good ten-speed vibrator,” she says, right as Chloe takes the final sip of her fruity cocktail.</p><p>Chloe chokes on the drink, spilling a little on her bare chest and Ella turns to her.</p><p>“You would know all about that, huh?” Ella asks Chloe.</p><p>“Ten is a lot,” Linda says, thinking about it.</p><p>“Oh, come on,” Chloe says, to Ella, “You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?”</p><p>“Maybe,” Ella says, “but not anytime soon.”</p><p>She playfully pushes Ella to the side.</p><p>“I’m just so happy you’re getting some. It’s like the Sahara over here,” Ella says.</p><p>Natalie takes the last gulp of her rum and coke and looks at the glass. She turns to Maze.</p><p>“I’m going to get a beer,” she says before standing up and turning to head towards the bar.</p><p>Maze watches her for a second before turning back to find Linda, Ella, and Chloe, all looking at her.</p><p>“What?” she asks.</p><p>“You brought our boss to girl’s night?” Chloe asks.</p><p>Maze shrugs, “She’s a girl, and she could use, you know …a night.”</p><p>“They’re sleeping together,” Linda says, eager to spill the beans.</p><p>Ella and Chloe turn to Maze, their eyes raised.</p><p>“Cool. Real cool, Linda,” Maze says, not at all happy that Linda told them.</p><p>“You’re sleeping with-“ Chloe begins, trying to make that makes sense, “but you’re both so intense.”</p><p>“I knew it!” Ella says, patting herself on the back, “I saw how you were looking at her, and I was like you are totally trying to get with that.”</p><p>“Calm down,” Maze says, insulted, “It’s just sex. Really …<em>really</em> good sex.”</p><p>“Why is everyone having sex but me?” Ella says, it dawning on her.</p><p>Chloe scoffs, amused, while Linda turns her eyes to the bar where Natalie tries to flag down a bartender.</p><p>“I’m going to get myself a real drink,” Linda says, standing and making a B-line towards Natalie.</p><p>“Is that why you’ve been gone so much?” Chloe asks Maze.</p><p>Maze rolls her eyes and nods, “Well, I mean, the sex is a new thing,” she says, “I needed … space. You’re not the only one who has to deal with Lucifer being gone.”</p><p>Chloe purses her lips and nods. She shakes her head, “You’re right, I’m … I’m sorry. I should have thought about you and what you are feeling.”</p><p>Maze grunts, disgusted, “Don’t say that,” she says.</p><p>--</p><p>At the bar, Linda slides up to Natalie and manages to flag down a bartender. Natalie turns to her as a bartender comes up and asks what she wants.</p><p>“Paloma,” Linda says before tilting her head to Natalie, “and whatever she wants.”</p><p>The bartender looks at Natalie.</p><p>“A Guinness stout,” Natalie says.</p><p>The bartender nods and turns to mix Linda’s drink. Linda looks up to Natalie, who – even without her heels- would be considerably taller than her. Well, most people were.</p><p>“We’re like VIP,” Linda says, “they see us at the bar they serve us first. Perks of being friends with the owner, I suppose.”</p><p>“Mm,” Natalie says.</p><p>They stand there for a moment in awkward silence.</p><p>“She’s a good one,” Linda says.</p><p>Natalie turns back to her,” Pardon?”</p><p>“Maze. She’s a good one. I get the feeling you don’t have faith in many people, but … she’s not people. If she gives you her word, she sticks to it.”</p><p>Natalie smiles and nods, “She seems very upfront,” Natalie says, agreeing, “I do like that.”</p><p>“Just know,” Linda says, her demeanor shifting into something that Natalie recognizes should be threatening but doesn’t actually find it threatening, “If you mess with her, you mess with me.”</p><p>Natalie smiles a little.</p><p>“Right,” she says, not at all intimidated.</p><p>The bartender slides a Paloma in front of Linda, and Linda smiles.</p><p>“There she is,” Linda says before reaching out and taking a sip.</p><p>“Mmm,” she hums.</p><p>The bartender then slides a Guinness stout in front of Natalie, and Natalie nods to thank him. She reaches into her purse to pull out cash, but he disappears to help someone else. She watches him leave and furrows her eyebrows. She turns to Linda.</p><p>“V.I.P,” Linda says before taking a sip of her drink and nodding her head back to the private booth.</p><p>“Ah, right,” Natalie says, smiling.</p><p>Natalie grabs her drink and turns, ready to head back to the booth, but Linda holds a hand out.</p><p>“Listen, uhm. This may seem forward, but … if you ever need to talk about <em>anything</em>, you can call me.”</p><p>Natalie looks down at Linda’s hand, then back up to Linda. Linda removes her hand and raises it.</p><p>“Sorry,” she says.</p><p>“Thanks, but … I’m not a talker,” Natalie says with a cordial smile.</p><p>“I’ll offer you a few free sessions,” Linda says, “because you know … Maze likes you. If you want to use them to talk about whatever then …I’ll be around.”</p><p>Natalie pauses and looks over Linda.</p><p>“You’re the psychologist,” Natalie says, it dawning on her.</p><p>Linda smiles and raises her Paloma.</p><p>“Guilty,” she says, taking a drink.</p><p>Natalie stares at her for a moment as if deciding. Part of her wants to, part of her knows she needs help, but … she isn’t used to asking. Rather, she’s afraid to ask. She’s afraid to dig up the garden for fear of the bodies she might uncover.</p><p>“Come,” Linda says, seeing her start to get in her head, “Let’s go before Maze thinks I’m trying to poach you,” she says.</p><p>Natalie chuckles, “Poach me? That implies ownership, and no one owns me. Definitely not Ms. Smith.”</p><p>“Uh-huh,” Linda says.</p><p>--</p><p>The night goes on, and eventually, the air between the group becomes more comfortable. Natalie sits with her elbow propped up on the back of the booth, her knees arced towards Maze. Maze sits back, her arms folded, and a drink in her hands. Ella has her head in Linda’s lap, and Chloe has her legs crossed and her feet bouncing impatiently. She eyes the penthouse elevator, then the empty piano in the center of the club.</p><p>Lucifer should have been down already. She knew he was eager to play the piano this evening as if it were a triumphant return. Then they were supposed to go upstairs and …well…</p><p>She grins to herself, thinking about it.</p><p>“A priest!” Ella says, her hands raising before they collapse on her chest, “I mean …why didn’t he become a doctor or something if he wanted to help people.”</p><p>“I mean, he has no experience with people’s bodies,” Linda says, “but people’s souls… I imagine living an eternity in hell might make him want to prevent people from going there. What better job to do that than a priest?”</p><p>Ella groans, “but, …but, then I can’t fantasize about him without feeling like I might get smited.”</p><p>“So you admit it,” Chloe says with a grin, turning her eyes to Ella, “ you <em>have</em> thought about it.”</p><p>Ella scoffs, “You guys are dicks.”</p><p>They chuckle.</p><p>Natalie furrows her brows, “You guys talk about religion an awful lot,” she says, picking up on a common theme in their conversations.</p><p>“Sorry,” Maze says, turning to Natalie, “Ella’s pretty religious.”</p><p>Ella chuckles as if the idea is funny, “Duh!” she says, sitting up and turning to Maze, “I mean …”</p><p>She pauses and waves around the club as if to say no shit.</p><p>“There is something really comforting about knowing everything is real,” Ella says, “It’s like … a weight lifted off my shoulder. Knowing and then <em>knowing</em>.”</p><p>Natalie scoffs, staring at the final gulp of her beer. She turns to Ella.</p><p>“I appreciate that you find comfort in religion, Ms. Lopez,” Natalie says, “but I don’t. I find it …suffocating. I find it to be hypocritical and disdainful, and I have no kind things to say about organized religion or – by default – the people who force-feed it to the masses.”</p><p>“Okay, religion has done some fucked up things, sure. But the people –“ Ella says.</p><p>“The people are people, Ms. Lopez. Just people,” Natalie says, “There is no difference in my mind between a priest and a crook. They are just people who made choices to believe in one thing over the other. To believe in the benefit of monetary gain over the salvation of an impossible diety.</p><p>“You have <em>very</em> strong opinions about religion,” Linda says, “let me guess … Catholic?”</p><p>Natalie chuckles, “I was raised Catholic, yes. But then I grew up.”</p><p>Linda hums, her eyes flipping to Maze. Maze purses her lips and turns to Natalie.</p><p>“Hey, it’s getting late. You probably have stuff to do. Why don’t I show you where my toys are, and you can pick out a new pair of cuffs before you go?”</p><p>Natalie raises her eyebrows, smiles, then downs the rest of her beer before standing.</p><p>“Cuffs?” Ella asks.</p><p>Chloe places a hand on Ella’s thigh and shakes her head as if telling Ella it is best to not ask.</p><p>“I had a wonderful time this evening. Thank you for keeping me company,” Natalie says, “Enjoy the rest of your night.”</p><p>Maze escorts Natalie to the elevator.</p><p>Linda turns to Ella and Chloe.</p><p>“I like her,” she says.</p><p>Chloe hums to herself and nods. She turns to the piano in the club and hums.</p><p>“Lucifer didn’t come down to play,” she says, “I should … I should go check on him,” she says.</p><p>Linda chuckles, “I think that means our night has come to an end Ella,” Linda says.</p><p>Ella nods.</p><p>“Come on,” Linda says, “I’ll get us an uber.”</p><p>“Can I get my phone back now?” she asks.</p><p>“Nuh-uh,” Linda replies.</p><p>--</p><p>The elevator dings and opens up to a room that looks very similar to the penthouse, but it’s not. It has no balcony. Instead, it has large windows that go from floor to ceiling. There is a living room, but instead of a couch and piano, there is an assortment of sex-related furniture. A sex swing, a human-sized cage, a massage table with a hole in two very specific places, what appears to be a gallows and a large machine plugged into a wall with a dildo on end. Instead of a bookshelf, there is a wall of whips and chains and knives that sit above a wooden dresser full of narrow shelves.</p><p>Besides that, everything else looks normal. A bedroom and off to the side a closet and bathroom.</p><p>Natalie raises her eyes, completely taken aback by how … <em>open</em> everything is. Maze walks in and near the bar – which is slightly smaller than the one in the penthouse – she reaches for a remote. She presses a button, and the shutters on the windows gradually open, revealing a spectacular view of the city.</p><p>Natalie walks in, her eyes looking around like this is the most fantastic place on earth. This was better than her apartment. In a lot of respects, it was better than Wonderland.</p><p>Maze walks over to the wall with the knives and chains. Below them in a chest of drawers. She opens one of them and reveals a drawer full of carefully placed handcuffs and similar restraints.</p><p>Natalie approaches the drawer and peeks in.</p><p>Here, several forms of cuffs reside. Standard metal ones like the kind they use on the force.</p><p>Fuzzy ones, feather ones, fluffy ones.</p><p>Ones made of leather and metal.</p><p>She doesn’t know what to say.</p><p>“I have a few that look like the one you had, but if you don’t want me to break any more cuffs, you need this one,” Maze says before pulling out a metal pair of cuffs with strange markings on them.</p><p>“Maybe I’m drunk, but …,” Natalie begins, reaching a hand out to grab one of the leather ones, “I think this is the happiest I’ve been in a very long time.”</p><p>Maze grins and watches Natalie look at the leather one.</p><p>“Here,” Maze says, jutting the metal pair in front of Natalie’s eyes, “It’s impossible for me to break these.”</p><p>Natalie turns her eyes away from the leather cuffs, to the metal ones Maze is handing to her. She grabs ahold of it.</p><p>The metal is light but feels sturdy. Like it was forged from exceptionally hard iron.</p><p>“Wow,” she says, setting the leather cuffs down, “these feel great. What are these markings?”</p><p>“Demonic binding,” Maze says, “we use it in … <em>interrogations</em>.”</p><p>The way Maze says the word “interrogation” leaves Natalie room to believe interrogation is the <em>kind</em> way of saying things.</p><p>Natalie narrows her eyes and hands them back to Maze. She didn’t like religion, but that didn’t mean she was interested in messing with demonic stuff.</p><p>“I’m looking for something more comfortable. You know?” she says, “For when you find someone and this whole thing between us ends.”</p><p>Maze’s smile falls slightly.</p><p>“Right,” Maze says, nodding, “maybe … maybe take both?”</p><p>“Really?” Natalie asks.</p><p>Maze nods, “Yeah ... I mean, take the leather ones to replace the one I broke. You might have to modify it to get those hooks back in, but it should work. Then you can use the metal ones on me.”</p><p>Natalie smiles and nods, “Thanks,” she says.</p><p>Maze closes the drawer and walks back to the bar.</p><p>“Don’t mention it. I mean, it sounds like I’m being generous, but really my reasons are selfish,” Maze says, laughing, “I couldn’t get out of those cuffs if I really tried to.”</p><p>Maze pauses.</p><p>“Man, I bet that orgasm is going to be great.”</p><p>Natalie smiles and nods as Maze approaches the bar.</p><p>“Thank you for the cuffs,” Natalie says raising them in the air, “I mean, it’s the least you can do but thank you.”</p><p>She approaches Maze as Maze reaches out for the remote.</p><p>“And uhm,” she says, “thanks for … you know, inviting me tonight. After that display in my office... I expected you to want to stay far away from me,” Natalie smiles, obviously embarrassed.</p><p>“I would have just gone home and drunk myself into a hell of a hangover so … I guess my liver thanks you too,” Natalie says, chuckling.</p><p>Maze nods, “Yeah. Are you … feeling better now?” she asks.</p><p>Natalie smiles and nods, “yeah… yeah, I feel much better. Thanks.” She says.</p><p>Maze presses a button on the remote to close the curtains.</p><p>“Ms. Smith, I …” Natalie says, fiddling with the cuffs in her hands, “I … don’t trust many people.”</p><p>Maze sets the remote on the counter as the blinds begin to close over the large windows.</p><p>“I’ve been betrayed more times in my life than I care to mention and … I’m starting to believe I’m either too stupid to see it, or maybe I see it and allow it. I wonder what that says about me,” she says, letting go of a nervous chuckle.</p><p>The blinds close, dipping the room into near darkness. The dim light from the bar allows Natalie and Maze to barely make out each other’s features.</p><p>Natalie carefully looks up a Maze. Maze can just make out the slight shimmer in her eyes.</p><p>“Oddly enough, I think, well besides Elliot, I think you might be my only friend. The only one who won’t lie to me.”</p><p>Maze nods, “Mostly because I don’t care to,” Maze says.</p><p>Natalie exhales a gust of air from her nostrils, a slight amusement on her face that falls into silence.</p><p>Natalie’s eyes flip between Maze’s, Maze just stares at her, wanting to lean in so bad and kiss her but … holding herself back.</p><p>“Please don’t betray me,” Natalie says, a softness in her eyes and voice that sounds more like a plea than a demand.</p><p>Maze smiles, “You’re pathetic,” she says.</p><p>A grin begins to form on Natalie’s face, and she just chuckles, shaking her head.</p><p>She smiles, turning her head to the closed shutters, “Yeah, I’m starting to see it.”</p><p>Natalie turns back to Maze, and they are both silent, just staring into one another’s eyes.</p><p>Maze smiles, and then again, she has that strange feeling. That overwhelming feeling she tries to fight.</p><p>Natalie takes a deep inhale and exhales as she turns. She walks towards the elevator and presses the down button.</p><p>“Try not to break any arms toni-“ Natalie says, turning around only to be met with Maze way closer than Natalie remembers her being.</p><p>Maze wraps her arms around Natalie and pulls her into a hug. She holds her close and tight until the feeling inside of her dissipates. Natalie stands there, unsure of why this is happening. She scoffs, a small smile on her face as her hands timidly come around Maze and lock into the place. There, they stand, holding one another silently. Both trying to figure out why this is nice. This touch that Natalie doesn’t mind.</p><p>The elevator dings, and Maze pulls away from Natalie. They stare at each other for a second before Maze clears her throat and pulls away.</p><p>“Yeah, well … I uhm, can’t make any promises,” she says, smiling.</p><p>Natalie nods and backs away to the elevator. She gets in and presses the down button. She moves her eyes up to lock with Maze’s as the doors close, a small smile peeling onto the corner of her mouth.</p><p>--</p><p>The penthouse elevator doors open, and Chloe enters to find Lucifer standing by his couch, tying his tie. He turns to her as she saunters in, directly to the bar.</p><p>“Had a good night?” he asks.</p><p>She smiles and hums, pouring a glass of whiskey.</p><p>“I was waiting for you to play tonight,” she says, “but I couldn’t wait any longer.”</p><p>His eyes roam down her body, and he approaches. When he gets to her, he wraps his hands around her body, his palms trailing closely to her skin beneath the black dress she wears. He doesn’t recall her wearing dresses on her nights out, so … it must be for him.</p><p>“I had to make three months of deals in one night,” he says, leaning down to kiss her neck, “dare I say I’m exhausted.”</p><p>“Too exhausted for me?” she says, turning in his arms and handing him a drink.</p><p>He grins and leans in to kiss her neck, “Never.”</p><p>She gently pushes him away and hands him his drink. He grabs it and takes a sip as she leans down to untie her heels.</p><p>“Leave them on,” he says, his hands naturally moving to caress her ass.</p><p>She grins.</p><p>“You want me to keep my heels on?” she asks, a knowing tone to her voice.</p><p>“To begin with at least,” he says, taking another sip as she stands up.</p><p>He tips the glass towards her, offering her a sip. She smiles and tilts her head away.</p><p>“Darling, you have to at least try it,” he says.</p><p>Her smile widens, and she turns to her purse to pull out a folded bundle of paper.</p><p>“I’d rather try something else,” she says, turning to him.</p><p>Lucifer sees them and tilts his head.</p><p>“Is that-“</p><p>“The list,” she says.</p><p>He chuckles warmly to himself before taking a sip and setting his glass on the bartop.</p><p>“Do I get to keep you to myself all night?” he asks, leaning in to nibble on her neck. With the heels on, he doesn’t have to lean down far.</p><p>She hums in approval, “Dan has Trixie until Sunday,” she says.</p><p>He reaches around, his hands falling on her ass, and pulls her closer.</p><p>She yelps at how forcefully he pulls her into him.</p><p>“Good,” he whispers in her ear.</p><p>He pulls her into a kiss, and she wraps her hands around his neck, the paper crinkling in his ear. He reaches up and takes the paper from her hand before pulling away and unfolding it.</p><p>“What shall we do first? Hmm?” he asks.</p><p>She bites her lips and blushes before shrugging.</p><p>“I don’t know, you decide,” she says.</p><p>He looks at her and shakes his head before pulling his lips together. Clicks of disapproval emanate from his mouth.</p><p>“No, no,” he says as if he caught her trying to get away with something, “this is your list Detective. I believe it only right you decide what antics we will get up to this evening.”</p><p>He hands the list back to her before turning and approaching the couch. He pulls his tie completely loose before pulling off his jacket and draping over the back of the sofa. Then he sits, crosses his legs, and turns to her.</p><p>“and I won’t move a <em>muscle</em> until you decide,” he says.</p><p>She chuckles and shakes her head, “You’re really going to make me say them out loud, aren’t you?”</p><p>He laughs a heady chuckle before nodding. He wants to hear her say it. He wants her to tell him what she desires him to do to her. He wants to hear it in such excruciating detail that perhaps maybe he might even blush.</p><p>“You have no problem telling me what you desire while I am filling that sweet pussy of yours,” he says.</p><p>She blushes and gasps, not prepared for the graphicness of the statement.</p><p>“That’s … that’s in the heat of the moment,” she says, “I … sometimes I say … things.”</p><p>He grins widely.</p><p>“I think you should say <em>things</em> now,” he says, nodding to the list.</p><p>She clears her throat and looks over the list. The silence in the penthouse is deafening. Her eyes move back and forth from him to the list until she cautiously approaches him. He eyes her, his attention singular.</p><p>“How about uhm …,” she begins, pulling her hand up to her mouth, a red flush coming over her face.</p><p>“I mean, before you had suggested you might… uhm, you might want me to …”</p><p>She pauses, her face tightening as she moves to say it out loud. Her voice raises an octave.</p><p>“Sit on your face?” she says, but the way she says it turns it into a question.</p><p>He smiles, “You’d like to sit on my face?” he asks.</p><p>She shrugs, “I mean … it’s on the list,” she replies.</p><p>He nods, “it is. So, would you like to sit on my face?” he asks again.</p><p>She nods.</p><p>He inhales and stands up, pulling his shirt out of his pants.</p><p>“Then say it,” he says.</p><p>“Hmm?” she asks, her eyes moving down to his hands. To how tightly his pants fit around his waist. She wants her legs to fit around his waist.</p><p>“Tell me what you desire,” he says, her eyes moving to look at his.</p><p>He gets close to her, close enough that she can smell his cologne. Close enough that she can feel the warmth of him.</p><p>“I uhm …,” she says, her eyes moving down to his jugular knot, the divot above his collarbone. She wants to lick it.</p><p>“I uhm,” she says again as he brings his hands up and pulls her face up so that he is staring her in the eyes.</p><p>Her body falls into his touch.</p><p>“I want to sit on your face,” she says, her eyes staring at his lips.</p><p>He groans and shifts closer to her, “and?” he asks.</p><p>She doesn’t say anything, so he pulls his hand down and taps the paper in her hand. She looks down at the list then back to him.</p><p>“What else?” he asks.</p><p>Her eyes go back to the paper, shifting over the letters until she finds something she likes.</p><p>Her eyes turn back to his.</p><p>He raises his eyebrows, patiently waiting for her to say what it is.</p><p>“I want you to hold me down,” she says.</p><p>He grunts, pulling her closer so that she can feel his growing arousal.</p><p>“Mmmm, restraints? What else?” he asks, his breath hitting the side of her neck as he moves in to kiss it.</p><p>She’s breathing heavily now, the tingle between her legs and the feeling of his stubble grazing her neck makes it hard to think. It’s been months since she felt this aroused.</p><p>“I want you to cum in me,” she says, without looking at the list.</p><p>He pauses, then pulls away from her. His eyebrows are furrowed like he did not find that sexy at all.</p><p>“Chloe,” he says, ready to – oddly enough - say no.</p><p>“I’m on birth control,” she says, stopping his dissent, “and my period ended a few days ago.”</p><p>He sighs.</p><p>“I want to know what you feel like when you finish inside me,” she says, pulling him close by the shirt and kissing him. She pulls away from him to find him staring at her, a wide grin on his face.</p><p>“What?” she asks, seeing the twinkle in his eye.</p><p>“What is that face?”</p><p>“So, you are telling me your deepest darkest desire is for me to hold you down and cum in you?” he asks.</p><p>She narrows her eyes, “You’re going to make fun of me, aren’t you?” she asks.</p><p>He chuckles as he walks back towards the couch, unbuttoning his shirt.</p><p>“Darling, I wouldn’t dare make fun of your desires.”</p><p>He peels his shirt off and tosses it onto the coffee table.</p><p>“What I <em>will</em> do, however,” he says as he sits on the floor with his back against the front of the sofa, “Is sit down so you can climb onto my face.”</p><p>He reaches down and unbuckles his pants before sliding a hand in and rubbing it over his erection.</p><p>She just stands there, looking stupefied.</p><p>He waves her over.</p><p>“Well, come on then,” he says as he tilts his head back, so it rests on the seat of the sofa.</p><p>She turns and sets the paper on the bar before brushing a strand of hair behind her ears. She looks up and catches her reflection in the bar. She clears her throat and turns back to him before slowly approaching.</p><p>“I uhm, I just-“ she begins, stalling.</p><p>He smiles and leans forward before grabbing her hands and pulling her closer to him so that she stands next to him.</p><p>“I will never make you do anything you don’t want to,” he says, his hands sliding up the outside of her thighs and beneath the hem of her dress.</p><p>He grabs the band of her panties and slides them down her legs before lifting her heeled foot, one by one, and having her step out of them. He then drapes them carefully over his lap before turning to her.</p><p>He grabs one foot and makes her straddle his lap, standing above him, so he’s looking up at her.</p><p>Then he tilts his head back against the sofa again and opens his mouth, his tongue protruding.</p><p>“Go on,” he says, sticking his tongue in momentarily, “I want to taste you.”</p><p>She blushes before awkwardly moving forward and planting her knees on the couch so that they land on either side of his head. He reaches up and pulls her hips down so that her body makes contact with his tongue, and he is immediately lapping and licking her.</p><p>“Mm,” she says, adjusting herself on the sofa to become more comfortable.</p><p>She rests her hand on the back of the couch, keeping her weight off his face. She is tense, and not sure if this is doing it for her. It’s much hotter in theory than in practice, it seems, and the heels aren’t making it easier.</p><p>Lucifer notices she is holding herself up and pulls down on her hips, unsteadying her for a moment until she catches herself on the back of the seat.</p><p>“Lucifer,” she says, his tongue dancing between her folds.</p><p>It doesn’t feel horrible, but … it doesn’t feel great. Not like it does when he does this normally.</p><p>“Lucifer I-“ she says before he yanks on her hips again.</p><p>It completely unsteadies her, and she falls back, her body weight completely resting on his face.</p><p>He holds his grip steady as she tries to get up, but she can’t. It’s clear he’s decided this is the point in which he will use his inhuman strength on her.</p><p>“Lucifer,” she says, trying to get up. The friction between her body and his face suddenly disappears, his saliva finally coating every inch of her it needs to.</p><p>Suddenly this kind of okay but not great thing feels amazing, and she’s clinging to the couch for other reasons.</p><p>“Oh,” she says, it finally hitting her.</p><p>She likes this.</p><p>She likes this <em>a lot</em>.</p><p>He warmly coos into her, knowing that sound.</p><p>She begins to gyrate her hips as he continues to lick and suck anything and everything his mouth comes into contact with.</p><p>“Oh, shit,” she says, her body gyrating more.</p><p>He feels comfortable enough to let go, comfortable she won't try to hold her weight up again and slides a hand down to his lap. Here he finds her slightly damp underwear and reaches beneath it to pull his erection from his pants.</p><p>He begins to stroke himself through the thin cloth of her underwear.</p><p>She becomes more enthusiastic in her grinding until she sits back, her back straight, and peers down between her legs to see Lucifer staring back at her. His eyes are dark and glistening. He is happy, like he finally got what he wanted the most. They stare at one another as she grinds, his tongue hard at work.</p><p>She reaches down and slides her fingers through his hair before grabbing it tightly, holding onto it like it were a rope, and she was a bull. It seemed an appropriate comparison because the look in his eyes made it apparent he really wanted her to get off.</p><p>“You like that?” she asks, her voice low and her eyes way past hooded.</p><p>She can feel him grinning, even with little room for his muscles to smile, he is smiling.</p><p>“You like this pussy in your mouth?”</p><p>His eyes gleam brighter, and he nods slightly. She hums in response and tosses her head back before a moan escapes her.</p><p>He just stares at her, as if it were the only show he would ever tune into. He can tell she likes it by the wetness covering his mouth but also the words coming out of hers. He loved how dirty she got when she had little care for who was listening.</p><p>“I can’t wait until you cum in me,” she says, “I want to feel it so badly.”</p><p>He groans before shutting his eyes like that is the sweetest thing he’s ever heard. If she hadn’t imagined it before, now it was apparent he was putty in her hands.</p><p>His eyes roll before he opens them, and they meet hers again, but this time the glisten is gone. All that is left is pure and dark lust that pulls at her insides and makes her spirit ache with want.</p><p>“Mmm,” she says again, closing her eyes as she continues to slide on anything that will provide her friction.</p><p>She pushes his head down, forcing it flat against the sofa as she speeds up her grinding. He completely removes his hand, understanding his face is not his own anymore. His hands move down to his cock where he strokes it quickly, a grunt falling from his mouth.</p><p>He closes his eyes again, needing to block out one sense to heighten the other.</p><p>“Yes,” she hisses, followed by a long moan.</p><p>His eyes snap open, now only focused on her. On the fact that it sounds like she is about to have an orgasm.</p><p>“Shit,” she says, followed by a whine.</p><p>He lets go of his cock and pulls his hands up, locking onto her hips and slowing down her gyrations as he slides her down and forms a seal around her clit. She gasps and nods.</p><p>“Yes, yes!” she says, her thighs locking around his head.</p><p>She opens her mouth, but nothing comes out before she shuts her eyes.</p><p>She waits as she gyrates her hips, and she continues to suck until the sky cracks and rainbows bleed through the darkness as she collapses forward onto the sofa, her body tense.</p><p>“Ohhhh,” she moans, “Ohhh, my God.”</p><p>He doesn’t say anything, or rather he can’t when her body covers his lips. All he can do is mutter something nonsensical into her body. She can hear he isn’t pleased, but the words don’t matter.</p><p>Eventually, she twists her body and falls onto the couch next to him, her legs open and wet. She turns to him as he sits up, his mouth equally as wet and perfectly kissable.</p><p>“How was that?” he asks, a cheeky grin on his face as he damn well knows how that was.</p><p>“It’s been so long,” she says, panting, “I … I forgot how good you were.”</p><p>He smiles and stands up, tossing the unbuttoned shirt off his body.</p><p>“Yes, well, the night is young Detective, and we have lost time to make up for.”</p><p>He walks around her and heads up the stairs and into his closet. Inside she hears shuffling about. She lays there for a moment, the haze of her orgasm covering her, but only until the thoughts start to creep in again.</p><p>The worry about him being back, about when he would leave again.</p><p>The worry that maybe they are moving too fast. Maybe they need more time to get back into the swing of things.</p><p>“Bloody-,” she hears him say from the closet before he lets go of a large sigh.</p><p>She sits up and turns to him as he comes out.</p><p>“What’s wrong?” he asks.</p><p>“It seems Mazikeen has been in my toy chest again. My favorite shibari ropes are missing.”</p><p>“Shi-what?” she asks.</p><p>He approaches the coffee table and tosses on his shirt. He begins to button it up, and her eyebrows furrow.</p><p>“Where are you going?” she asks.</p><p>“I’m going to go down to Maze’s suite and see if she has my rope,” he says.</p><p>Chloe arches an eyebrow.</p><p>“Maze has a suite?” she asks.</p><p>Lucifer chuckles, “Of course. Where do you think she stayed when she lived here? Certainly, you didn’t imagine her sleeping on my floor like some … <em>animal</em>?”</p><p>“I … honestly, I thought you two… never mind,” she says.</p><p>He smiles and turns to head to the elevator.</p><p>“I’ll only be a few minutes,” he says, reaching out and pressing the down button.</p><p>He turns to her, his eyes dropping to her nude legs.</p><p>“Keep it warm for me, yeah?” he asks.</p><p>She smiles, “Always.”</p><p>He grunts, reaches down to adjust himself, and steps into the elevator as the doors ding and open.</p><p>“Don’t cum without me,” he says, “I love to watch.”</p><p>The doors close, and she shakes her head with a smile. She leans forward and begins to unbuckle her heels. He’s going to throw a fit about it when he gets back, she’s sure, but her feet are killing her. Sex in heels might be sexy, but it is not comfortable.</p><p>The lights flicker, and she pauses to look up at the ceiling. They flicker again, and she furrows her eyebrows.</p><p>Suddenly the entire club is drenched in darkness, the power going out.</p><p>“What the-“ she says before the sound of the AC being dead silent is replaced by the sickening squeal of metal against metal. Her eyes turn to the elevator, where the sound is coming from. The squeal gets louder and louder. The lights cut back on fully, but the squeal is still there.</p><p>It gets louder and louder until eventually it is replaced by a loud crash that shakes the floor beneath her.</p><p>“Lucifer,” she huffs before standing straight up in her seat.</p><p>Then she hears a rumble, low at first but getting louder and louder until the elevator doors crash open, and a large gust of dust and hot air fly out of the elevator shaft. It smells like raw iron and dirt.</p><p>She jumps back, the wind only barely hitting her face by the time it hits the living room. Her eyes widen, and she runs over to the open elevator doors. She slows when she approaches and gently peers over the edge, into the dark elevator shaft. She holds onto the wall for stability.</p><p>She stares down and sees nothing.</p><p>“Lucifer?” she asks.</p><p>Nothing. Only the gentle swaying of broken elevator cables hitting the sides of the elevator shaft.</p><p>“Lucifer!” she wails.</p><p>--------</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Persistence</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Lucifer comes back from the dead to make a grim discovery. Ella and Abel celebrate a friendiversary. Chloe is flustered, Dan seeks assistance for a growing problem and Calmos and Ezria share another first.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>---------</p><p>The hills above Los Angeles are peaceful at dusk. Here, it’s hard to imagine the city below it is full of drunk women making poor decisions, drugs, and wannabe starlets getting off of buses from nowhere. As the sun lowers over the horizon, covering the sky in a gradient of orange and pink, crickets sing, and birds find their perches for the night.</p><p>It, again, is eerily peaceful here, peaceful.</p><p>That is until a swath of seemingly uninteresting dirt starts to move as though a thousand earthworms were crawling beneath it.</p><p>As if something – or someone - were clawing its way out from the inside.</p><p>The dirt rumbles and cracks until a hand, soiled and muddy, breaks its way through the dirt. It claws at the ground before sinking back into the soft earth. Seconds later, it punches through, this time followed by an arm as more dirt loosens around this area until a cavity forms and dirt collapses on itself, a strange and rectangular sinkhole developing.</p><p>Lucifer begins to claw its way out of the hole, caked mud, and dirt covering every inch of its body. He pulls his way out of the ground before collapsing onto his back and breathing hard, his last bit of inhuman energy spent on unearthing himself. Pulling himself from a – thankfully – relatively shallow grave.</p><p>Here, Lucifer stares up at the night sky, catching his breath.</p><p>“Bloody …,” he says before coughing.</p><p>He turns his head and spits, sending a ball of fresh saliva and dirt careening to the ground nearby.</p><p>He blinks his eyes, dirt falling into his lids, and burning him.</p><p>“Ah!” Lucifer yells as he pulls his hands up to wipe his eyes.</p><p>That only makes it worst because his hands are also covered in dirt. There is no reprieve from the pain, so Lucifer just blinks as his eyes become red, and the dirt around his lids turns to mud as they mix with tears.</p><p>“Absolutely<em> wretched</em>,” he says to himself, kicking his knees under him and standing.</p><p><em>At least it’s not a freezer this time,</em> he thinks.</p><p>Lucifer stares out towards the city and sighs before walking forward. His legs don’t quite get under him, and he trips forward, face-planting again. This time he falls right onto a rock. It’s small, but painful and leaves a gash on his forehead.</p><p>“Ow!” he says, pulling away from the ground and reaching up to his head.</p><p>He pulls his hand back and is met with a not so new but still peculiar site.</p><p>Blood, <em>fresh</em> blood.</p><p>He looks at it, his eyes narrowing.</p><p>He only bleeds with the Detective around. He furrows his eyebrows and takes surveillance of the area.</p><p>No Chloe.</p><p>No Chloe, but he is bleeding.</p><p>He groans and pulls himself back onto his feet. It is slow, but he manages to stand stable enough where he thinks he can pull out his wings and handle the rest.</p><p>He rotates his shoulders only to find that nothing happens.</p><p>“What the-“ he says, turning behind him as he shifts his shoulder blades again.</p><p>No response.</p><p>He pauses, putting two and two together.</p><p>“Oh Dear,” he says, his eyes turning back to the city.</p><p>He stares forward then grins to himself.</p><p>“Hah!” he says, turning to look in the sky.</p><p>“Eight times, my ass! That wasn’t part of your <em>plan</em> now, was it?”</p><p>Lucifer chuckles, pleased, before descending the mountain. He’s going to get cleaned up, perhaps get some flowers for the Detective, and live his boringly mortal life.</p><p>--</p><p>At a restaurant on the ground floor of a business tower, Ella and Abel are sitting at a table enjoying a meal together.</p><p>Ella reaches for a glass of wine, smiling and enjoying herself. Abel gathers food on his fork, ready to take another bite.</p><p>“Oh man, you should have seen the guy’s face. It was maggot central,” she says.</p><p>Abel pulls a fork to his mouth then pauses. He looks down at it then at Ella.</p><p>She sees his glance and swallows her gulp.</p><p>“Mmm!” she says as she swallows, “Sorry!”</p><p>Abel laughs, “It’s okay, I just … maybe I won’t take that bite just now.”</p><p>He sets the fork down on the table and reaches for a glass of water nearby.</p><p>“Sorry, I just … it’s one of the more interesting cases we’ve had recently.”</p><p>“It’s fine, honestly. I need to pace myself anyway. Don’t want a repeat of last week,” he says.</p><p>Ella smiles and moves to take another sip of wine. She pauses, her eyes turning to him.</p><p>“Did you ever figure out that issue with your fridge?” she asks before taking another sip.</p><p>He nods and brings the towelette up to his mouth to wipe.</p><p>“It was the filtration system. I had a worker come in and fix it on Tuesday. He said not to drink the first ten glasses, so it should be good by now. No more leaking.”</p><p>Ella nods.</p><p>“That’s good. It means you won’t have to replace it,” she says.</p><p>Abel nods and shakes his head, “I just … I don’t understand the idea of not wanting to <em>fix </em>something. Why would I throw out a perfectly operable device because there’s a little water on the floor?”</p><p>Ella laughs, “You will speak a different tune when they find your body unconscious in the kitchen from slipping on that little bit of water.”</p><p>Abel grins and shakes his head, “Your mind is a fascinating place.”</p><p>Ella blushes and reaches to sip her wine.</p><p>They sit in silence for a second. Abel moves to grabs his fork again, the conversation steering away from dead guys. He pokes at his food for a second, his eyes moving up to Ella.</p><p>“I uhm … I know this is weird, but … thank you for agreeing to be my friend again,” he says.</p><p>Ella turns to him and furrows her eyebrows.</p><p>“That <em>is </em>weird and v<em>ery </em>random,” she says.</p><p>He chuckles.</p><p>“Not really. I mean, it <em>is </em>the anniversary of our friendship,” he says.</p><p>Ella scoffs, “It’s been almost two years. I think we don’t have to celebrate every year at this point,” she says.</p><p>He smiles and nods, “Every second is a second worth celebrating,” he says sincerely.</p><p>The alternative would have been him, in the place where he didn’t exist. Where he <em>did</em> exist. Where he was thinking and unthinking at the same time. It wasn’t bad, not by any means. It was …calm.</p><p>But this was better. Being with her was better.</p><p>Ella looks at him and nods.</p><p>“So even though you’ve heard it several times already,” he says beginning.</p><p>She groans.</p><p>“Come on,” she says.</p><p>“Thank you for texting me,” he says.</p><p>She nods.</p><p>“Even if it took you a couple of months,” he adds.</p><p>Ella smiles in mock offense.</p><p>“Yes, well, if you had just found out someone lied about being the first murder victim in human history, it would take you some time too!”</p><p>“Hey, I was murdered,” he says, “I didn’t <em>do</em> the murdering.”</p><p>She tilts her head, her eyes saying that isn’t the point.</p><p>Abel nods and relents.</p><p>“I suppose it was a lot to process.”</p><p>“Plus, with my job, it’s kind of fitting, you know?” she says.</p><p>She pauses, and her eyes narrow before drifting off into somewhere else.</p><p>“I would have loved to investigate your crime scene,” she says.</p><p>“So, you’ve told me … on many occasions,” he says.</p><p>Ella chuckles.</p><p>Abel moves to grab his water, his smile is there, but his eyes are not. She recognizes it. Even when he had been Eric, the stern Lieutenant with a dark past, he couldn’t lie about that stare.</p><p>Abel clears his throat and changes the topic. He reaches for his glass of water and raises it.</p><p>“A toast,” he says, “to friendship.”</p><p>She smiles and raises her glass. They dink them together, and both take a sip.</p><p>She sets her wine glass down and watches as he goes back to eating. She turns her head out the window, watching the nightlife walk and drive past.</p><p>“It didn’t take me long to get over who you were,” she says, turning back to him, “if I’m honest, I was more upset that you lied to me.”</p><p>Abel pauses and sets his fork down. He nods.</p><p>“I did. I lied to everyone,” he says, “Kind of goes with the territory of being blinded by revenge.”</p><p>“Mm,” Ella nods.</p><p>A strange silence falls over them.</p><p>“But,” he says, “I wouldn’t lie to you now. Friends don’t lie to one another.”</p><p>Ella chuckles, “Oh, I lie to my friends all the time.”</p><p>Abel frowns.</p><p>“Little white lies, though,” she clarifies, “Like when my friend Ann asked me to come to her baby shower, I told her I was too busy.”</p><p>“You weren’t busy. I take it?” he asks.</p><p>Ella laughs, “Gosh, no. I just didn’t want to go to her stupid baby shower.”</p><p>“Oh,” he says, a curiosity popping into his eyes.</p><p>“I mean, but you can’t tell people that,” she says, “I can’t say <em>‘no Ann I don’t want to participate in your stupid baby shower.’</em> That makes people feel bad, and you don’t want the people you care about to feel bad. So … you lie a little. Just a small one. One that doesn’t change who you are or who they are but makes it a <em>little</em> easier to do both.”</p><p>“Interesting,” he says.</p><p>Ella notes the way he says that, like there is something on the back of his mind he wants to say but won’t.</p><p>“Why? Does that make me a bad person?” she asks.</p><p>Abel laughs and shakes his head.</p><p>“No, I don’t believe so. I just … I suppose I never pictured you as someone who didn’t want a family.”</p><p>Ella furrows her eyebrows, “Whoa, now. Don’t put words into my mouth. I never said that. I just said I didn’t want to go to her stupid baby shower.”</p><p>Abel shakes his head, “I don’t understand the difference.”</p><p>Ella chuckles. Even after two years, he struggled with the simplest of ideas. It was ... kind of cute.</p><p>“What about you?” she says, shaking her head, changing topics, “do you want a family?”</p><p>He nods enthusiastically.</p><p>“Of course. I would love a wife and kids. The idea of having children who actually enjoy each other’s company is …” he says, trying to find the word for it.</p><p>Ella raises her eyebrows, “therapeutic?”</p><p>Abel turns to her and nods.</p><p>“Mm,” he hums in affirmation.</p><p>“How are your sessions with Linda?” she asks.</p><p>He nods and forks around his food again, “Good. Good.”</p><p>“Do they help?” she asks.</p><p>He nods, “She is rather intelligent. I can see why you are fond of her.”</p><p>Ella smiles.</p><p>“I told her I would like a family one day, but …” he looks around, turning his head to the window.</p><p>“But what?” Ella asks.</p><p>“But, the women here are fun.”</p><p>Ella narrows her eyes.</p><p>“and you want them to be … boring?” she asks, not understanding why that is a bad thing.</p><p>He shakes his head, “They are … a different kind than I am used to, than I want, rather. I am ashamed to say it, but I don’t find them suitable for what I desire.”</p><p>Ella scoffs.</p><p>Abel raises his eyebrows, “Oh!” he says, realizing what he said, “Not you. No, you’d make an excellent wife and mother someday. I’m speaking of the other women.”</p><p>Ella rolls her eyes, “Uh-huh.”</p><p>She pauses.</p><p>“Are priests even allowed to have wives?” she asks.</p><p>He smiles.</p><p>“I’m not just <em>any</em> priest, now am I?”</p><p>She smiles and goes back to drinking her wine. He turns back to his plate and takes a bite.</p><p>“Besides, I won’t be a priest forever,” he says, “at least I don’t intend to be.”</p><p>She swallows her sip and watches him for a second before setting her glass down on the table again. She fumbles with it.</p><p>“So uhm … since you’re a priest who can have wives, are you seeing anyone?” she asks, keeping her eyes on the glass momentarily as she second-guesses her words.</p><p>Her eyes cautiously shift up to him, and he watches her, a small smile on his face as he chews.</p><p>“No,” he says before swallowing and reaching for his glass of water, “Truth be told the past two years of my life have been devoted to the church.”</p><p>He takes a sip then sets the glass down.</p><p>“I suppose some things haven’t changed,” he says sadly, “Even with complete free will, I still find myself a slave to God. I suppose I am a man of habit.”</p><p>Ella nods, “I mean, when you know the guy exists and have spoken with him personally, I imagine it's hard to ignore what he wants.”</p><p>He scoffs at himself, nodding as if Ella didn’t know how right she was. His fork sifts through his food mindlessly.</p><p>“What is he like?” Ella asks.</p><p>Abel sighs, “We’ve been over this-“</p><p>“I know, I know, but …tell me again.”</p><p>Abel sets his fork down and shrugs, “He’s …He’s what you would expect from an all-knowing being. Strangely loving but also kind of a dick. Like, you know, when we went to that electronics store to purchase a laptop for me?”</p><p>Ella nods.</p><p>“You remember that guy behind the counter? The one that kept trying to convince you to purchase the technical support plan?” he says, reaching for a glass of water.</p><p>“Oh, you mean the douche who wasn’t convinced I’d be able to help you set up your email client because I have tits?” she says.</p><p>Abel chokes on his water and sets the glass down on the table. Ella lowers her wine glass.</p><p>“You okay?” she asks.</p><p>“Yeah,” he says, coughing, “wrong pipe.”</p><p>He clears his throat, trying to not think about that particular part of Ella's anatomy. Not that he hadn’t before, but … they were friends.</p><p>Just friends. You don’t fantasize about your friends.</p><p>At least not while they are sitting in front of you.</p><p>Abel continues to cough until he doesn’t have the urge to clear his lungs anymore.</p><p>“What about him?” Ella asks.</p><p>Abel nods and dabs his mouth with the cloth napkin from his lap.</p><p>“You know how he had this air about him like … he knew everything, and you knew nothing?”</p><p>“Yeah, he was very condescending,” Ella says, her lip pursed remembering.</p><p>“That is God, except … that knowledge comes from being literal God and not someone playing God. He acts like he knows everything because he does.”</p><p>“Huh,” Ella says, thinking about that.</p><p>“So he’s a nice guy then?” Ella says.</p><p>Abel scoffs, “Not at all.”</p><p>“He’s an asshole?” Ella asks, trying to pinpoint a specific character description.</p><p>Abel sighs and shakes his head, “Not at all. He’s … he’s God.”</p><p>Ella sighs and takes a sip of her wine.</p><p>“This is why I keep asking you,” Ella says, “because you never give me a definitive answer.”</p><p>Abel shrugs, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”</p><p>A smile curls into the corner of Ella's mouth.</p><p>“Oh shut up and eat your salmon,” she says with a grin.</p><p>Abel chuckles and picks up his fork.</p><p>“So what about you?” he asks, his eyes turning to the side as if he didn’t care to know the answer to his question.</p><p>Despite knowing deep down, he wanted to know. He wanted to pretend there was hope beyond this friendship.</p><p>“Hmm? What about me?”</p><p>“Are you seeing anyone?” He asks, forking his food around his plate, distracting himself.</p><p>“Oh, uhm. No. I mean, not really,” she says.</p><p>“Not really?” he asks.</p><p>She nods.</p><p>“I mean, yeah, there is this guy, but … it’s kind of a weird situation,” she says.</p><p>“Oh,” he says, more dejected than he should be.</p><p>She catches the tone of his voice, and so does he.</p><p>“I mean, that’s great. Whatever <em>‘weird situation’ </em>means,” he says, correcting his tone.</p><p>She chuckles.</p><p>They sit in silence for a moment.</p><p>“Yeah, he kind of … he’s hard to read sometimes. Sometimes I think we have something, and other times I think it might be one-sided.”</p><p>“Why don’t you just ask him?” Abel says, turning back to his food.</p><p>“Ask him? Yeah, right,” she says, laughing.</p><p>Abel furrows his eyebrows.</p><p>“Ella, if you want something, you have to say it. Men are simple creatures.”</p><p>Ella scoffs, “Speak for yourself. Men are more complicated than you think.”</p><p>Abel shrugs, “Well, that’s what I would do,” he says, taking another fork full of food before raising it to his mouth, “just ask.”</p><p>He bites down as Ella watches him. She turns to her wine and takes a sip before turning back to him and watching him. She breathes in and takes a deep inhale before exhaling, psyching herself up.</p><p>“So, crazy question,” she says.</p><p>“Mm?” he hums, taking another sip of water.</p><p>“How do you feel about- “she begins as her eyes turn to the street, not wanting to look at him when she asks.</p><p>Her eyebrows furrow, and her train of thought is derailed as she recognizes a familiar figure coming down the road.</p><p>“… Lucifer?” she asks, her voice filled with confusion.</p><p>“How do I feel about Lucifer?” Abel asks, “that’s a strange-“</p><p>She shakes her head and points.</p><p>“No, It’s … is that Lucifer?” she asks, scooting her chair back and standing up.</p><p>Abel turns to see a half-naked Lucifer, covered in mud and barefoot, walking down the busy sidewalk. On his forehead is a giant knot with a muddy handprint over it.</p><p>Women stop and stare. Some look at him in confusion, others admire the body – even if it is covered in mud.</p><p>Ella pulls away from the table and runs towards the door.</p><p>“Ella, wait!” Abel says.</p><p>He grunts and looks around a moment before catching the eye of a waiter. He raises his hand.</p><p>“Check!” he says with urgency.</p><p>--</p><p>Inside her apartment, Natalie is in her usual position on her couch. She watches videos on her laptop, nursing a beer in silence. Her ears perk up slightly when she hears the door unlatch behind her, but she doesn’t stop her video. She ignores the sound of the door unlocking and opening as if she had expected it.</p><p>The door opens, and Maze enters before pulling a key out of the door.</p><p>“Hey,” she says.</p><p>“Mm,” Natalie grunts, her attention solely on the video.</p><p>Maze shuts the door. She tosses her keys into a bowl on a table nearby before reaching down and taking her shoes off. She moves to place them on the shoe rack.</p><p>“What are you watching?” Maze asks as she moves towards the fridge.</p><p>“It’s a documentary about crime scene cleaners,” Natalie says, barely turning to Maze, her eyes still on the screen.</p><p>“You already know how they work,” Maze says, scanning the fridge.</p><p>“But it doesn’t make it less interesting,” Natalie says, not taking her eyes off the laptop.</p><p>Maze shuts the fridge door and walks over to Natalie.</p><p>“We don’t have any more beer?” she asks, moving around the couch and sitting down.</p><p>“Do I have to keep reminding you there is no <em>we</em>?” Natalie says, “you don’t live here. Therefore your question should be ‘<em>do you have any more beer</em>.’”</p><p>Maze rolls her eyes, “Well do you?” she asks</p><p>Natalie turns to Maze with a smile and shakes her head.</p><p>“I got the last one,” she says, taking a sip.</p><p>Maze watches her drink and smiles.</p><p>“How convenient,” Maze says.</p><p>Natalie chuckles and hands Maze the beer. Maze takes a swig before sitting back on the couch. Natalie goes back to watching the video.</p><p> </p><p>Without the beer in her hand, Natalie has one arm wrapped around her while the other is propped in it, allowing her hand to fiddle with the skin on her collarbone. Maze takes another sip and watches Natalie like one would watch a painting.</p><p>Natalie is relaxed and calm and whole. Maze stares at her, her eyes moving to the documentary to watch it for a few seconds.</p><p>“What do you think of Linda?” Maze asks.</p><p>“She’s good,” Natalie says, shrugging, watching the screen.</p><p>“Yeah, she’s really smart,” Maze responds, nodding.</p><p>Natalie continues to watch the documentary.</p><p>“What do you think of her psychological stuff? Is it working?” Maze asks.</p><p>Natalie turns to Maze and snatches the beer out of her hand with a grin, “Up to five-syllable words now. Nice,” she says.</p><p>Maze scoffs, and Natalie chuckles.</p><p>“Well?” Maze asks.</p><p>Natalie takes the last swig before reaching forward and setting the empty bottle on the coffee table.</p><p>“I …yeah, she’s helping,” Natalie says, her shoulders tensing again, “we’ve just been talking about childhood and you know … working through things.”</p><p>“Things that will allow me to fuck you?” Maze asks.</p><p>Natalie scoffs, amused, “Must everything be about sex Ms. Smith?” she asks</p><p>“Well, no, it’s just … it’s been two months since you closed up shop and… well, I’m hurtin’ over here. I’ve worn out eighteen vibrators. Eighteen!”</p><p>Natalie laughs, “I’m sure you have someone in your black book that can help you with that,” she says.</p><p>Maze scoffs.</p><p><em>As If she would want to</em>, she thinks.</p><p>She doesn’t say it, but she thinks it.</p><p>“Is this some new torture technique?” Maze asks before pausing, “this is because I ditched Linda at dinner that one time, isn’t it?”</p><p>“Ms. Smith,” Natalie says, sighing, shaking her head.</p><p>“Oh come on, you can tell me things,” Maze says.</p><p>Natalie shakes her head, “I … can’t,” she says.</p><p>“Why not? I-“</p><p>“I just can’t, okay?” Natalie says, turning to her, “just … drop it. Please.”</p><p>Maze sighs and nods, “okay,” she says, shrugging.</p><p>“Fine, if you don’t want to talk to me then … maybe I don’t want to be gagged anymore.”</p><p>Natalie scoffs,” Oh, please, we both know you love being gagged.”</p><p>Maze tenses her jaw, “Dammit, I really do,” she says, unable to hold up the charade.</p><p>Natalie chuckles, then sits back, stretches, and goes back to crossing her arms and watching the documentary.</p><p>“You can tell me anything,” Maze says, “you know that, right?”</p><p>Natalie nods, “I know, but … not this. I couldn’t handle you not believing me.”</p><p>Maze grunts, and they both turn their eyes back to the screen.</p><p>Natalie shakes her head, “The things they have to deal with,” she says, “I don’t think I could do it. I mean, I could but, If I had to.”</p><p>“Mm,” Maze replies.</p><p>Maze watches the documentary for a bit, trying hard to focus, but eventually, her eyes just turn to Natalie again.</p><p>“I caught that kidnapper,” she says.</p><p>Natalie hums in response, “Good. One less asshole on the street,” she says, still watching the video her hand going back to delicately stroking the skin on her collarbone.</p><p>Maze nods, turning to the empty beer bottle on the table. Her eyes flip back to Natalie. She stares at Natalie, a softness falling over her eyes. Something that oddly looks like anxiety.</p><p>“We’re not having sex tonight,” Natalie says, seeing Maze watch her out of the corner of her eyes.</p><p>Maze nods, “I know. I … I thought maybe we could just hang out tonight.”</p><p>Natalie shrugs, “That’s fine.”</p><p>The apartment dips into silence again, and Maze turns to stare out in front of them, into the city. She tenses her jaw.</p><p>How the fuck did he get here? She rolls her eyes at herself and turns back to Natalie. Her eyes soften as she stares.</p><p>She sits up on the couch a little and clears her throat.</p><p>Natalie turns to Maze, and their eyes catch each other. Maze looks at her, like a deer in headlights.</p><p>Natalie sends her a soft smile before turning back to her video.</p><p>“I love you,” Maze blurts out, unable to hold it back anymore.</p><p>Natalie freezes. Her hand stops caressing her collarbone.</p><p>Natalie is deadly still. She reaches out and pauses the documentary before turning to Maze and just looking at her. Her eyes are wide like she doesn’t know what to say.</p><p>She opens her mouth, but the words get caught.</p><p>“I …uh,” she says.</p><p>Maze watches her stutter, trying to figure out what she wants to say.</p><p>Maze feels a tightness in her chest and suddenly doesn’t want to know. She doesn’t want to hear it. She feels stupid.</p><p>“I’m going to get more beer,” she says, standing up quickly.</p><p>Natalie just stares and watches Maze put on her shoes, pick up her key and leave. The door shuts, and Natalie sits there, her eyes wide and her mind blank.</p><p>--</p><p>Between her legs, Amenadiel’s powerful hips drill into Linda, her legs wrapped tightly around his body. They’ve been going at it for a while, judging by the sweat on their bodies and the messy sheets beneath them.</p><p>“Are you going to cum for me?” she says sweetly into his ear.</p><p>He responds by sliding his hand beneath her body and lifting her hips closer to him as he continues to deliver short and powerful thrusts.</p><p>“Fuuuuuuck,” she says, before gasping and letting out a moan<strong>.</strong></p><p> </p><p>He speeds up his pace, turning from a quick and passionate grind to a frantic thrust.</p><p>“Yes,” she says, knowing what this means, “do it. cum for me.”</p><p>He groans and holds himself into her.</p><p>“Lucifer,” he moans, and immediately the haze over her eyes is clear.</p><p>He groans, thrusting into her in short bursts. She feels the warmth of his seed spreading through her gut, but she can’t even enjoy it like she used to. He pants, coming down from his orgasm. He pulls himself away and meets her wide, shocked eyes.</p><p>He stares at her, unsure of what to say.</p><p>“Well,” she says, breaking the silence, “That’s a first.”</p><p>“No, I … that’s not what I meant,” he says as she pushes him off her.</p><p>“Really? I find it very difficult to come up with a valid reason why you would say your brother’s name while you climax. Even if I weren’t a psychologist, Amenadiel, I would still know that’s all sorts of fucked up.”</p><p>He shakes his head, “No, I … I wasn’t thinking about him, I was thinking about you. I just … He just popped into my head.”</p><p>“Well, he couldn’t have popped into your head when you are not inside of me?”</p><p>He shakes his head, a confused look on his face, “No I … I promise you I didn’t think of him on my own accord Linda. This felt … divine.”</p><p>She scoffs, “Yeah, that used to be a compliment, but now it’s just … it’s wrong, isn’t it?”</p><p>He doesn’t even reply to her, he just stares out, his eyebrows furrowed as he tries to figure out what that means.</p><p>She sighs. She knew that look. It meant he was in Angel mode again, which meant he legitimately wasn’t thinking about Lucifer. Which helps a little but not much.</p><p>“So … what does that mean?” she says.</p><p>He shakes his head, “I don’t know.”</p><p>She sighs and walks towards the bathroom.</p><p>“Well, at least for me, it means we aren’t having sex for a while,” she says, shaking her body as if she needed to shake a thought off of her mind.</p><p>Not of Lucifer, no, but of the man she loves saying his brother’s name during climax.</p><p>She walks into the bathroom, and he just sits there, his mind prying up information and trying to figure out what there is left to do.</p><p>“Don’t forget you were going to sod the lawn tomorrow,” Linda says.</p><p>Amenadiel nods, “Yeah,” he says, trying to come up with a reasonable answer for why, after so long, his dead brother entered his mind.</p><p> </p><p>--</p><p>“I’ll only be a minute,” Chloe says as she shuts the door to the car parked outside of LUX.</p><p>She turns and walks towards the back door before pulling her key out and sticking it in the lock. Her hands are already shaking.</p><p>She had gotten the text from Ella. The one that said Lucifer was back. The one that said she had taken him to LUX to get cleaned up. The one that said she couldn’t bring herself to tell him.</p><p>To tell him how long he had been gone or how life had moved on without him. To tell him about all the things he had missed. All the happy moments and blissful changes. About Trixie getting older and Chloe …</p><p>And Chloe.</p><p>She needed to know if it was real, if he had really come back, but the other part of her was afraid of what she’d find. What he would say.</p><p>She opens the door and enters before walking down the back hallways and coming out from behind the main bar. Here she walks through the empty club and towards the penthouse elevator.</p><p>She presses the button to take her up to the penthouse, nervousness and fear in her bones.</p><p>What would she do when she saw him?</p><p>When the elevator doors open, Chloe, dressed in a flowy black dress that goes down to the ankles, walks in. Her eyes immediately go down to the floor, where she sees muddy footprints leading from the elevator, up the stairs, and into the bathroom. She clears her throat and approaches.</p><p>She wanted to hear his voice. She wanted to smell his cologne. It had been so long since she had done either of those things she wonders if she had forgotten what he sounds like.</p><p>She approaches the steps to the bedroom, or at least what used to be the bedroom. Now, instead of where the bed used to be is a desk. Her desk, or rather the desk her and Amenadiel use now that they run LUX in Lucifer’s absence. She walks up the stairs, her eyes following the footprints.</p><p>She crosses into the doorway and pauses, her breath caught in her throat. There, in the flesh, is Lucifer. He is showered now, a towel around his waist as he takes care to clean dirt from the folds of his ears. He turns to her, and his face of frustration brightens as soon as he sees her.</p><p>“Darling,” he says with a smile, “I hadn’t heard the elevator.”</p><p>“It’s broken,” she manages to say, the shock not lost in her voice or eyes.</p><p>Her eyes naturally fall down his toned body. He sees her eyeline and smiles.</p><p>“I still have quite a few things to clean before we can get dirty again,” he says, turning and dropping the Q-tip onto a stack of dirty Q-tips.</p><p>He grabs another before reaching out to the sink and wetting it. He then takes it and cleans the folds of his other ear.</p><p>“In fact,” he says, “considering I still have a foreskin, I think it best I give it a good once over before we do anything. Father knows what kind of chemicals Amenadiel buried with me.”</p><p>She stands there, her eyes wide and her jaw slack. She doesn’t know what to say.</p><p>He turns to her, that smile still on his face. She wants to say something about the knot on his head, but she can’t think. She stands there, unable to move like she were staring at a ghost; a man from the past.</p><p>He laughs, “Don’t look at me like that,” he says.</p><p>He pauses. He slightly raises his head as if it were dawning on him. She probably hadn’t seen him in some time. How many months had he been gone this time?</p><p>“How long <em>has</em> it been?” he asks, turning and tossing the Q-tip onto the pile.</p><p>He turns back to her, his head tilted as she just stares.</p><p>“Detective?” he asks, approaching her.</p><p>“Babe?” he hears from the living room.</p><p>Chloe’s look of shock falls into horror, and all the blood drains from her face. Lucifer furrows his eyebrows and walks towards her. She backs away from him as he enters his bedroom and turns to see a man in a petticoat walking towards the steps, a phone in his hand.</p><p>“I called to make sure we wouldn’t miss our –“ he says as he looks up and sees Chloe staring at Lucifer and Lucifer looking at him like he had done something.</p><p>“- reservation,” he says, stopping in his tracks.</p><p>Lucifer looks over the man. This man was average at best and highly forgettable. He has short brown hair, dark brown eyes, and a small moustache that sits below his upper lip.</p><p>“Who’s this?” the man asks.</p><p>Lucifer turns to her, she looks absolutely horrified.</p><p>“Why does he have a pet name for you, Detective?” Lucifer asks.</p><p>Chloe opens her mouth, still in shock, and backs away from Lucifer.</p><p>“This…,” she says, nearly tripping over her feet as she moves towards the man, “This is … Jack,” she says.</p><p>Jack looks at Lucifer, unsure of why he is in a towel.</p><p><br/>“My … boyfriend,” she finishes.</p><p>Lucifer’s offense falls flat, and he cuts his eyes to Chloe.</p><p>“Pardon?” he asks.</p><p>“Jack,” Chloe says, turning to the man next to her, if only so she doesn’t have to see Lucifer’s face as she breaks the news.</p><p>“This is Lucifer Morningstar, remember? The owner of the club?”</p><p>Jack’s tension in his face falls as he understands what is happening.</p><p>“Oh!” he says, turning back to Lucifer, “Yeah, Chloe told me you were traveling trying to get LUX worldwide. How does it feel to finally be back in Los Angeles?”</p><p>Lucifer stands there, staring at Jack in utter shock and confusion.</p><p>“Disorienting,” he says, unsure of what the hell is going on.</p><p>Jack turns to her, “Does this mean you won’t have to have to help that black guy run the club anymore?”</p><p>“That <em>black guy</em> is my brother,” Lucifer snarls, finding a place to put his developing anger.</p><p>Jack turns to him and nods, “No, I didn’t mean it like that I just –“</p><p>“Jack is a doctor,” Chloe blurts out, trying to ease the growing tension.</p><p>“How <em>nice</em> for him,” Lucifer says, turning to her, his rage not subsiding.</p><p>“Tell me, Jack,” Lucifer says, turning back to Jack, “Just how long have I been traveling? Hmm?”</p><p>Jack shrugs, “I … I don’t know. Shouldn’t you know more than me?” he says, furrowing his eyebrows.</p><p>“Humour me,” Lucifer says, his annoyance showing.</p><p>“Uhm,” Jack says, turning to Chloe, who looks away from Lucifer, her face still pale.</p><p>“I don’t know. Chloe said about one and a half, two years?” he says.</p><p>“Two ye-“ Lucifer says, stepping back, the anger in his eyes fading into pure devastation.</p><p>“Two years?!” he screams.</p><p>“Maybe we should go,” Chloe says, turning to Jack.</p><p>“Right, yes. We’re going to be late,” Jack says.</p><p>“it was nice meeting you, Mr. Morningstar,” he says as he turns and walks with Chloe hand in hand to the elevator.</p><p>Lucifer stares, watching her walk away. She doesn’t look back.</p><p>When they enter the elevator, she looks down at the floor, unable to look him in the eyes except for the brief second when she dares to look back, and they lock eyes.</p><p>In her eyes, there is regret, remorse, shame, and guilt.</p><p>But his eyes have anger in them.</p><p>Anger that she didn’t wait.</p><p>Anger that she brought another man to his penthouse.</p><p>Anger that Jack wasn’t even that <em>good</em> looking.</p><p>He stands there for a second, trying to process what had just happened. Trying to process the pain in his chest. The anger bubbles over, and his lip begins to quiver. Water starts to well in his eyes. He balls his hand into a fist and suddenly turns and punches the wall next to him with all his force.</p><p>He barely leaves a dent. In the wall, that is, his hand is not unaffected.</p><p>He pulls his fist back and doubles over in pain as he holds it.</p><p>“Bloody!,” he screams.</p><p>“Fuck!” he hisses as he shakes his hand, trying to shake off the pain.</p><p>When it is tolerable, he pulls his hand up and looks at it. The skin on his knuckles is red and bloody, and his hand visibly tremors.</p><p>He grimaces through the pain and turns to look around the office—the office where his bed should be.</p><p>He approaches the desk and sees a phone.</p><p>Lucifer looks at the phone before he pulls it, ripping it off the table and tossing it across the room. It hits the old wall that separates the office from the living room and crashes to the floor.</p><p>Lucifer lets got a deep growl that vibrates the walls of his throat and runs it dry. He is about to flip the table, but instead grips it as a hot heat starts to develop in his gut. It feels like a raging ball of fire that spins and turns before it cools and stops.</p><p>He breathes heavily, the anger subsiding just enough that the other emotion welling in his heart starts to pour out.</p><p>It is devastation.</p><p>Hurt.</p><p>
  <em>Heartbreak.</em>
</p><p>He starts to weep before collapsing to the floor.</p><p>It is loud and unmistakable. It fills the otherwise silent apartment and only reinforces the truth.</p><p>He is alone again.</p><p>--</p><p>Inside his apartment, Dan checks the locks on his front door. They are locked and secured. He turns and shuts off the light, dipping his living room into darkness. He then walks towards the dim light in his bedroom. Once he crosses over, he turns to the bathroom.</p><p>“You excited for tomorrow?” he asks.</p><p>Inside the bathroom, a woman peeps her head out, a toothbrush in her mouth.</p><p>She scoffs and turns to spit in the sink. She washes out her mouth as Dan pulls the covers back.</p><p>The electric toothbrush shuts off. Moments later, so does the light in the bathroom as the woman comes out of it.</p><p>“Excited is not the word I would use,” she says, reaching back and pulling her long brown hair into a ponytail.</p><p>“My stomach hasn’t settled all day,” she says.</p><p>Dan laughs and pulls himself beneath the covers.</p><p>The woman joins him and climbs into his arms.</p><p>“Ah, it’ll be fine,” he says, “you’re going to do great.”</p><p>“What if she doesn’t like me?” the woman asks.</p><p>Dan turns to her and smiles, “What? Are you kidding? She’s going to love you! How can she not? You’re smart, and pretty ...”</p><p>The woman shakes her head, “I’m not in the mood to have sex tonight, I’m too antsy,” she says, shaking her head and resting it on Dan’s chest.</p><p>Dan chuckles.</p><p>“I’m not blowing smoke up your ass to have sex with you. She’s <em>going </em>to love you.”</p><p>The woman sighs deeply and settles into his arms. He sets his hand on her back and caresses it with his thumb. They sit in comfortable silence.</p><p>“What if she doesn’t?” the woman asks.</p><p>Dan smiles, “Well then … I guess I’m going to have to get a new girlfriend.”</p><p>She leans her head up and looks at him like she can’t believe he said that.</p><p>“Dan!” she says.</p><p>“I’m kidding! I’m kidding!” he says, pulling her back into her position, except this time she is tense and not at all happy.</p><p>“She is going to love you, okay? Stop worrying. It’s not like you haven’t met her before. She knows who you are.”</p><p>“Yeah, but our interactions have been pretty limited. I mean, the longest period we’ve spent together is like five hours. Now we’re spending a whole weekend together? What if she decides six hours is too much of me, and then I’m spending the whole weekend trying to make sure she likes me enough that you won’t dump me.”</p><p>“You’re going to do great. I’m telling you, kids are easy to please,” Dan says reassuringly,</p><p>“You’re her Dad. By her standards, she probably thinks you shit gold,” she says.</p><p>Dan laughs, louder than he should. She just sighs and groans.</p><p>“Okay fine. Let’s say she doesn’t like you, so what? Eventually, she will like you. What’s that saying? Rome wasn’t built in a day?”</p><p>The woman sighs again.</p><p>“Besides, there will be cake. Trixie loves cake. Ever since she was a little girl, I could just give her a slice of chocolate cake, and anything I did, she would forgive me.”</p><p>“Uh-huh, and how old is she now?” the woman asks.</p><p>“Ten and a half, almost eleven.”</p><p>The woman groans.</p><p>“What?” Dan says.</p><p>“Pre-teens are the worst. She’s going to hate me,” she says.</p><p>Dan smiles and pulls her closer.</p><p>“I love you. That’s all that matters, right?” he replies.</p><p>The woman smiles and pulls him closer.</p><p>“Are you sure about-“ Dan begins.</p><p>“Baby, trust me. You don’t want to have sex with me right now,” she says.</p><p>Dan chuckles.</p><p>They sit in silence for a bit, their limbs entangled as they slowly begin to fall asleep.</p><p>“Babe?” she asks, her voice low.</p><p>“Mmm,” he hums, listening to her.</p><p>“Turn off the light.”</p><p>He pauses, and his eyes flip open. His body immediately tenses up.</p><p>She feels it, and her head turns up to him.</p><p>She can see the growing fear in his eyes. She sighs.</p><p>“We go over this every night,” she says, “when are you going to-“</p><p>“I know, I know, but … just this once can we leave it on?”</p><p>She sighs.</p><p>“Dan …,” she says.</p><p>He groans and sighs before sitting up.</p><p>“Fine,” he says, “Fine. It’s just a light… there’s nothing wrong with turning it off.”</p><p>He reaches over and pulls the chain on a lamp by the side table, dipping the room into darkness.</p><p>They lay there for a moment, his eyes darting around the room. He looks as if he is searching for something, and with each passing second that he doesn’t see anything, his body relaxes.</p><p>“See?” she says.</p><p>He nods, still not convinced.</p><p>“Goodnight,” she says, settling her head on his chest.</p><p>He closes his eyes, settling into bed, and slowly they both start to drift off to sleep. Except, right at the precipice of falling unconscious, he gets this nagging feeling he is being watched.</p><p><em>Don’t open your eyes</em>, he thinks.</p><p>His mind screams at him not to look, not to see.</p><p>But he can’t shake the feeling he is being watched.</p><p>He <em>has</em> to look.</p><p>To know where that feeling is coming from.</p><p>Slowly, he opens his eyes, and immediately they snap to the corner of his bedroom where a dark figure stands, looming in the darkest shadow of his room. It is so dark in this corner he can’t make out a clear form, but he can feel it. The whispery shadows that stick to the walls like peanut butter to bread. They whisper and echo and stare at him, watching him.</p><p>His heart immediately starts to thump in his chest, and he turns his head down to the sleeping woman laying across it. He hopes she can’t hear it. He hopes she stays asleep. He doesn’t have the words to describe what he sees, or why he is so afraid.</p><p>He stares at the darkness, and it stares into him. It stares so long that the whispers get louder and louder until it feels like it will burst his eardrum.</p><p>Suddenly, he sits up in bed and moves to click the light on. The second the light hits the corner the figure is gone, and the room is quiet, save for the soft sigh of the woman now sitting up in bed next to him.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” she says sadly, seeing the panic in his eyes, “I thought it would help.”</p><p>He sits there, his eyes wide, staring at the corner.</p><p>“Come, lay down,” she says, pushing him back to lay down.</p><p>She can feel his heart thumping through his chest. When he lays down, she lays back down on top of him.</p><p>His eyes avert from the corner, and he stares at the ceiling.</p><p>“Sorry,” he says, unsure of why he should apologize but feeling he should.</p><p>It was stupid for a grown man to be afraid of the dark.</p><p>She smiles softly, “maybe tomorrow night,” she says, getting back into position and trying to fall back asleep, despite a light in her face.</p><p>--</p><p>In hell, Calmos sits silently on a couch in the room with the balcony. Nearby, Ezria sits, his eyes flipping back and forth between Calmos and his fidgeting thumb.</p><p>The room is silent, and despite Ezria being used to silence, this one is thick and strange.</p><p>He doesn’t like this silence.</p><p>Ezria sits up and leans closer to Calmos.</p><p>“Perhaps you would like me to go to earth and get you some of those crisped potatoes you like so much? With the meat and bread?”</p><p>Calmos shakes his head.</p><p>“I’m not hungry,” Calmos says, turning his eyes to the balcony.</p><p>Calmos stares at the grey ash past it. His eyebrows furrow.</p><p>He wonders what the void is like. He was never curious about it before. He only knew it to be the place he sent those who tried – and failed – to attack him.</p><p>He didn’t care what they felt or wanted. Yet now, it was all he could think about.</p><p>He wonders if the demons know they are in the void, if they are aware they are timeless and soulless, and bodyless.</p><p>Or if there just ceased to be any thought, any knowledge of existence.</p><p>He turns as he feels body heat next to him. Ezria is sitting next to him now, a smile on his face.</p><p>“Perhaps you would like to fuck me?” he asks.</p><p>Calmos shakes his head and stands.</p><p>“I don’t feel like it,” he says.</p><p>Ezria scoffs.</p><p>
  <em>Feelings.</em>
</p><p>Ezria stands, now angry.</p><p>“Well, I am trying to help you,” he says.</p><p>Calmos furrows his eyebrows, “I don’t need your help,” he says, shaking his head, “I just … I need a moment to think.”</p><p>“You’ve been brooding for too long, “Ezria says, “I don’t enjoy watching you brood.”</p><p>Calmos lets go of a soft smile and approaches Ezria, wrapping his arms around him.</p><p>“This isn’t about you,” he says.</p><p>Ezria grunts, displeased.</p><p>“Perhaps you’d like to be alone then,” Ezria says, pulling away.</p><p>Calmos holds firm and doesn’t let him go.</p><p>“I don’t want to be alone,” he says, “I just … I don’t know what to feel.”</p><p>Ezria physically relaxes, and Calmos turns his eyes to Ezria.</p><p>“I don’t know how to explain it. I feel … relieved, but then I feel guilt for that relief.”</p><p>They stare at one another for far longer than Calmos would like, and he sighs, pulling away.</p><p>“That must be the stupid human in me,” he says, turning and putting his hand on his forehead.</p><p>He should feel relief, should he not?</p><p>He pauses.</p><p>But should he also feel guilty? He’s never felt guilty before. Or perhaps knowing what that feeling is, giving that feeling a word has made it easier to recognize.</p><p>“I want to show you something,” Ezria says.</p><p>Calmos sighs and turns around, “I told you. I’m not in the mood.”</p><p>Ezria chuckles and shakes his head. He holds his hands out for Calmos to grab it.</p><p>“Come.”</p><p>Moments later, hand in hand, Ezria and Calmos descend the spiral walkway heading further and further into the giant caldera. Here, at the bottom, a giant pool of lava still bubbles and pops. Calmos looks around, taking passing glances into the grated openings of nearby cells. Here, souls weep in sorrow at their eternal damnation.</p><p>Calmos seems cautioned the further down they go, as each new door and each new level descends into a deafening silence; the souls inside the cells having long since given up any sign of hope or freedom.</p><p>“What are we doing here, My King?” Calmos asks, the hesitation and concern in his voice.</p><p>“We are almost there,” Ezria says without turning around.</p><p>Calmos reluctantly follows. At the very bottom of the caldera, so close to the lava lake that the tiny hairs on Calmos’s arm begin to singe at the heat, Ezria approaches an open door.</p><p>“Here,” he says, turning to Calmos.</p><p>Calmos turns and peers into pitch-black darkness.</p><p>“What is in there?” he asks.</p><p>“The truth,” Ezria replies.</p><p>Calmos narrows his eyes, unsure that is the answer he was looking for.</p><p>“Step in,” Ezria says, nodding his head towards the open door.</p><p>Calmos turns back to the door and stares into the room again. He doesn’t get a good feeling about this room. There is something not quite right about it.</p><p>“Go on,” Ezria says.</p><p>Calmos turns back to Ezria. He would be cautious and say no if it weren’t for the way Ezria was looking at him like he was certain stepping inside would fix his problems; his crisis.</p><p>Calmos takes a deep breath and turns to the door. Tentatively, he steps inside, the heat of the lava lake only slightly fading the further he steps inside. It is quiet in here, save for the distant sound of water dripping through thin cracks in the wall.</p><p>“This is where I was caged,” Ezria says.</p><p>Calmos turns to find Ezria standing on the edge of the doorway as if something was keeping him from going back in.</p><p>“I spent my own eternity in here, in my own head. Locked within myself.”</p><p>Calmos’ eyes fall as if thinking about what that must have felt like.</p><p>“There,” Ezria says, his hand raises and pointing to the center of the room.</p><p>It is too dark, and Calmos can’t see anything, but Ezria seems accustomed to it.</p><p>“Right there, I sat in a cage, like an animal. One of God’s creations, his sons, caged like a common beast.”</p><p>Calmos turns back to the pitch black in front of him, straining to see. Straining to see this cage Ezria speaks off.</p><p>“I don’t see anything,” Calmos says turning back to Ezria, “Where is –“</p><p>His words are cut short as Ezria isn’t there anymore. Instead, he is met with the engulfing darkness of a closing door. He hears the door close and lock, and he is left alone, in complete darkness.</p><p>Terror overcomes him, and he runs back to the door.</p><p>“What are you doing!?” Calmos says.</p><p>“This isn’t funny!” he continues, banging on the door.</p><p>On the other side, Ezria places a hand on the door, only the thick metal of it separating him and Calmos.</p><p>“Calm yourself, Calmos,” Ezria says, “Just relax.”</p><p>“Open this door!” Calmos says.</p><p>“Not until you relax,” Ezria says.</p><p>Calmos sighs, “I am. I am relaxed. Just … open the door.”</p><p>Ezria shakes his head and opens his mouth, ready to chastise Calmos for his behavior.</p><p>“Ezria,” a voice says, in a hushed whisper.</p><p>It knocks Ezria out of his conversation, and his head immediately spins around to the right side, where he thought this voice was coming from.</p><p>Behind him, Calmos bangs on the door.</p><p>“My King, I do not like this! Open this door!” he says, a panic in his voice.</p><p>Ezria’s eyebrows furrow as he looks at the empty path from which they came. There is nothing there.</p><p>“What a strange boy he is,” the voice whispers again, this time more clear now that Ezria is listening.</p><p>His head spins again, towards the lava lake. Towards the black cube that sits in the center of the lake.</p><p>He narrows his eyes.</p><p>The cube glimmers like the surface of a gem, but inside it are white dots that resemble stars, space.</p><p>Hadn’t he seen this cube before?</p><p>Calmos bangs on the door, the sounds of rocks shuffling behind him stops his banging. He pauses and turns to the darkness behind him.</p><p>He can hear water dripping, but suddenly he doesn’t feel alone. Suddenly he feels … very much trapped with someone – or something – else.</p><p>He listens for a moment, watching and taking in the sounds of the room. There is darkness all around him, and he can’t see anything until suddenly he can. Until his eyes land on something darker than the darkest corner of the room.</p><p>He turns around, watching Ezria walk towards the lava lake.</p><p>“My King! Please!” Calmos yells the silver in his eyes coming out as he begins to panic, his fingers poking through a small grate in the door.</p><p>Ezria stares at the cube as if stuck in a trance.</p><p>“What a grand creature you are,” the voice whispers to Ezria.</p><p>Ezria walks forward, the ground suddenly giving way beneath him as it feels like everything in his spirit is being pulled towards this cube.</p><p>“My King!” he hears behind him.</p><p>“Come, let me take a closer look at you … at <em>us</em>,” it whispers.</p><p>Ezria continues forward, a strange curiosity behind his eyes. It calls to him, and each step closer sends a searing pain up his leg as he walks deeper into the lava lake.</p><p>“Ezria!” Calmos screams, his voice raw and panic climbing up his spine.</p><p>Suddenly Ezria stops, the glaze over his eyes lost as he peers down and finds himself calf-deep in lava.</p><p>Suddenly the pain registers as it should, and Ezria’s face becomes bright red.</p><p>“Agh!” he yells, turning and reaching for the path. He pulls himself out of the lava and flops onto the ground.</p><p>The flesh beneath his knees is completely seared off and down to the bone. He screams and squirms in pain as the heat coming off his exposed limbs cools, and muscle and ligaments begin to pool over the bone like a vine climbing a tree to reach the canopy.</p><p>Calmos watches through the grate.</p><p>“Let me out!” he begs, his eyes pure silver and his fingers white from holding the grill.</p><p>Calmos turns behind him, his ears moving back for a moment as if he hears something. He turns back to Ezria.</p><p>“Please!” he screams, tears coming to his eyes.</p><p>Ezria furrows his eyebrows, before standing, fighting through the pain of newly formed muscles. He stumbles to the door and unlocks it before swinging it open.</p><p>Calmos bolts out of the room and crosses behind Ezria. Ezria looks at him then turns to the darkness of the cell.</p><p>“What… Calmos don’t tell me you are afraid of the dark?” he asks.</p><p>Calmos stares into the cell, his heart beating so fast it skips.</p><p>“There was something in there,” he says, his voice breathy.</p><p>Ezria turns back to the cell and approaches it. He stands inside the doorway and peers into the darkness. He looks around, his eyes narrowing.</p><p>He turns back to Calmos as the silver in Calmos’ eyes slowly fades.</p><p>“Calmos, there is nothing in there,” Ezria says, unsure why Calmos is making a big deal about this room.</p><p>He should know better than anyone, he had been trapped in there for eons.</p><p>“There was something. I swear!” he says, his eyes never leaving the dark pit behind them.</p><p>“Get away from the door,” Calmos says, pulling Ezria back until there is enough space between them and the doorway.</p><p>Ezria just stares at Calmos like he is mad. Calmos runs forward and slides the heavy metal door of the cell closed and latches it. Then he backs away from the door, never taking his eyes off the grate and the darkness behind it. As he backs up, he bumps into Ezria and turns. Ezria is looking at him confused. Calmos’ fear gives way to anger.</p><p>“Why did you do that?” he asks before pulling his fist back and landing a deep punch into Ezria’s gut.</p><p>Ezria keels over, coughing and laughing at the same time.</p><p>“Don’t you <em>ever </em>do that to me again!” Calmos growls.</p><p>Ezria stands, “I was making a point. I wanted you to understand,” he says, not even angry that a demon felt he could lay hands on him.</p><p>If it were any other demon, he would have tossed them into the lava behind him, but Calmos … he quite likes the show of strength if he were honest.</p><p>“Understand what? That you are cruel? That you are unthinking?” he says angrily.</p><p>Ezria smiles and shakes his head as he stands tall, his hand over his gut.</p><p>“Now you understand what it feels like to be caged,” he says.</p><p>Calmos narrows his eyes.</p><p>“My cage was a physical cage, a room at the lowest point. Near a lava lake,” he says, turning and nodding behind him.</p><p>He turns back to Calmos, “Your cage was your father,” he says.</p><p>Calmos’ offense falls from his eyes, and he blinks. He turns back to the room behind him.</p><p>“When I had been freed, I too was scared. Scared of what it meant to be free. Of what it meant to make my own choices. To no longer be held back by the actions of another,” Ezria says.</p><p>“Freedom is a gift and a curse,” Ezria says, “you must decide which one holds more weight.”</p><p>Calmos turns back to Ezria, his eyes parsing that information. Trying to discover how he feels about that.</p><p>“I feel guilty,” Calmos admits, his eyes moving away from Ezria.</p><p>Ezria raises his hand and sets it on Calmos’ Shoulder.</p><p>“That is not sadness, or grief, or guilt over the loss of a father,” Ezria says, “that is grief over lost time. Sadness over all those moments you weren’t free. Guilt that you didn’t do it sooner.”</p><p>Calmos turns back to the room behind him.</p><p>“No one will blame you,” Ezria says, “Don’t blame yourself.”</p><p>Calmos turns back to Ezria, and he can still see that Calmos is struggling with that thought. Ezria reaches out and places a hand beneath Calmos’ chin, raising it up so their eyes meet.</p><p>“I don’t blame you,” he says with a smile.</p><p>Ezria leans in and plants a kiss on Calmos’ lips. Calmos accepts it. At first, reluctant. Not feeling like he wanted to be kissed. Then, he is eager, needing to be kissed; to be loved and wanted.</p><p>Ezria chuckles as Calmos wraps his arms around Ezria.</p><p>“Come, let’s go back to my quarters, and I can show you what true freedom feels like,” Ezria says.</p><p>Calmos smiles and nods.</p><p>“Perhaps you might let me penetrate <em>you </em>this time?” Ezria asks.</p><p>Ezria starts to walk up the pathway, and Calmos turns to the closed door of the cell. He eyes it with suspicion and fear.</p><p>What was that? Had that been only his human imagination creating forms where there is none? Or had there truly been something there?</p><p>If there was something there, had it been there before or after Ezria was locked inside?</p><p>His eyes drop as he thinks, and he turns to Ezria.</p><p>He narrows his eyes.</p><p>
  <em>How come Ezria didn’t see it?</em>
</p><p>Ezria turns to him with a smile and waves him forward. Calmos walks forward and catches up to Ezria.</p><p>“My King?” Calmos says, curiosity in his voice.</p><p>“Mm?”</p><p>“Why did you walk into the Lava?”</p><p>“I uhm … I thought I heard something,” he says, “from the box.”</p><p>Calmos furrows his eyebrows, “What box?” he says, walking up the path behind Ezria.</p><p>“The one in the center of the lake,” he says.</p><p>Calmos turns to the center of the lake and looks around, confusion in his eyes.</p><p>He turns back to Ezria.</p><p>“Pardon?” he asks.</p><p>Ezria grunts and stops walking. He turns and points again, this time with emphasis.</p><p>“The box, there. In the center on the platform.”</p><p>Calmos turns his eyes to the lake again, confusion behind them still. He turns back to Ezria.</p><p>Ezria’s offense falls as he recognizes that look.</p><p>“My King, I –“</p><p>“You don’t see it, do you?” Ezria asks.</p><p>Calmos shakes his head, “I don’t know what box you speak of.”</p><p>Ezria turns to the center of the lake and stares at the cube. It sits there, silently.</p><p>“You don’t see platform in the center of the lake?” Ezria asks again, to clarify.</p><p>Calmos shakes his head, “the lake is deep. I doubt anything could survive in its center.”</p><p>--</p><p>Chloe , carrying a stack of files, comes out of the storage locker and makes her way to her desk. She looks flustered, upset. And despite the files not being heavy, it looks like they are a burden on her mind.</p><p>She trips halfway to her desk and catches her fall only to have the files spill out onto the floor.</p><p>She grunts and lets go of an exasperated sigh before pausing and centering herself.</p><p>Dan looks up from his desk.</p><p>“You okay there chief?” he asks.</p><p>She shakes her head, “Fine,” she says angrily as she kneels down to scoop up the paperwork. She is careful to keep the papers in their proper folders. Dan rolls his chair away from his desk and walks over to help her.</p><p>“You sure? Cause you seem a little off,” he says, helping gather her files.</p><p>She shakes her head, “I’m fine,” she snaps back.</p><p>He raises his eyes, and they stand together. He hands her the file in his hand, looking at her like he knows she isn’t fine.</p><p>She snatches it from his hand and huffs around him. He just shakes his head and smiles.</p><p>She must be about to start her period.</p><p>She slams the papers down on the desk, and he turns to her.</p><p>“No, actually,” she says, nodding her head, “No, I’m not fine. I’m pissed.”</p><p>He chuckles, “yeah, I can see.”</p><p>She puts her hands on her hips, shaking her head in anger.</p><p>“So?” he asks.</p><p>“Lucifer came back last night,” she says.</p><p>Dan pauses, the smile on his face dropping.</p><p>“Oh,” he says, realizing what that means.</p><p>She nods, “Yeah. Yeah, and he looked at me like …”</p><p>She grunts, letting out the anger in her bones vocally.</p><p>She sits down on the seat and scoots in.</p><p>“He’s the one that disappeared for two years, and I’m supposed to just sit on my hands and wait for him to show up so he can disappear again?”</p><p>“Chloe,” Dan says.</p><p>“No! I just …what am I supposed to do? You should have seen the look on his face. He acted like I had cheated on him.”</p><p>Dan raises his eyebrows, “Well … to him, you kind of did.”</p><p>She cuts her eyes to him, that not being something she wanted to hear.</p><p>Dan sighs, “You said it yourself. Time isn’t like … real or something in hell or wherever he went. It’s been two years for us, but for him, he just …he might as well have just popped down to the store to get some milk.”</p><p>The anger in her eyes begins to fade a little, and her eyebrows furrow.</p><p>“What was I supposed to do? Wait on him?”</p><p>Dan shrugs, “I don’t know, but … it sounds like that’s a conversation you need to have with him. Is he at his penthouse?”</p><p>She shrugs and shakes her head, “I don’t know,” she says, now reflective.</p><p>He nods and moves to his desk to grab his jacket. She looks up as he tosses it on and grabs his car keys.</p><p>“Where are you going?” she asks.</p><p>“I need to talk to him,” he says.</p><p>She shakes her head, “Dan, I can handle my own-“</p><p>“It’s not about you,” he says before he turns and jogs up the bullpen steps.</p><p>She stands there for a moment, his words playing in her head.</p><p>She sits down on the seat.</p><p>It’s not about her.</p><p>--</p><p>The elevator doors open, and Amenadiel steps out to see the penthouse half in ruin and half in pristine condition. Most things are in place and untouched, but there are small signs that indicate a problem.</p><p>Signs like the broken glass near the bar and at the foot of the bookshelf across the room.</p><p>There is an empty bottle sitting on the coffee table and clothing strewn about.</p><p>Amenadiel turns his eyes to the office to find all the papers have been shifted off the desk, and the phone is completely missing.</p><p>“Lucifer?” Amenadiel says, carefully entering the penthouse, unsure of what he might find should he step further.</p><p>He hears shuffling in the closet, followed by a grunt before Lucifer stumbles out of the closet. He’s managed to put on clothing, but that is the extent of how far he got into his grooming pattern before completely giving up. His socks are off, and his hair is curly and unruly. He slaps his lips together as if he were sleeping.</p><p>“Amenadiel!” he says way too happily before half stumbling, half walking down the steps.</p><p>Amenadiel furrows his eyebrows.</p><p>“You’re drunk,” he says in a half-declarative, half-surprised statement.</p><p>“Isn’t it grand?” Lucifer asks.</p><p>He’s standing still now, but his body is slowly swirling like water down a drain.</p><p>“Lucifer,” Amenadiel says, shaking his head, “you’re drunk. That means-“</p><p>“I’m human!” he says, his arms raised to reveal the pit stains beneath his arms.</p><p>Even his sweat smells like alcohol.</p><p>Amenadiel steps back, away from the cloud of whiskey that Lucifer emanates.</p><p>“I even checked for my wings this time. Bloody things are gone. Only took completely changing who I am,” he scoffs.</p><p>“Lucifer, this isn’t like you. Why are you-“</p><p>“I met Jack last night,” he says the emotion behind that statement drunk but flat; uncaring, or at least trying to be.</p><p>“Rather dull and average looking fellow, isn’t he?” Lucifer asks.</p><p>Amenadiel tilts is head, the realization falling over him.</p><p>“Oh, Luci,” he says sadly.</p><p>He walks forward and wraps his arms around Lucifer. Lucifer raises his eyebrow and just stands there, unsure of what to do in his drunk state. Amenadiel is holding him tightly, a little too tight, and squeezes out a whiskey laced burp. On the back of that is a little taste of stomach acid.</p><p>It hits Amenadiel’s ear, but he still doesn’t let go. He just holds him.</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, his eyes starting to tear up, “Well, that makes one person who missed me,” he says, the annoyance doing very little to hide the hurt.</p><p>Amenadiel finally pulls away and holds onto Lucifer’s shoulders, partly to keep him from spinning.</p><p>“Luci, we <em>all</em> missed you,” he says, his eyebrows furrowed.</p><p>Lucifer scoffs again and slaps Amenadiel’s hands off him. He walks over to the bar and reaches for the almost empty bottle of whiskey.</p><p>“I’d hate to see what you all do when you are sick of my guts,” he says, his words trailing off as he drunkenly pours way too much whiskey into the glass before taking another sip.</p><p>Amenadiel shakes his head, “It’s not her fault,” he says.</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, “You’re right. It’s not. It’s <em>his</em>,” he says, pointing upwards.</p><p>“This is what he wanted,” Lucifer continues, “The whole time he just wanted to watch me squirm between his thumb like some ant. To prove he had control over me. He … he <em>used</em> her to get to me.”</p><p>He scoffs as he lifts his glass up to his mouth, “and I played right into it,” he scoffs.</p><p>“I mean, how stupid was I to think that I could capture any happiness for myself?” Lucifer says, laughing, on the back of it tears.</p><p>“No, no. It’s all meant for others, right?” he continues, bringing the glass up to his lips.</p><p>“Fucking coward,” he says, taking a large gulp.</p><p>Just then, the elevator door opens, and they both turn to see Dan walk through the doors.</p><p>“Dan,” Amenadiel exclaims, surprised to see him.</p><p>Lucifer doesn’t say anything, he just continues to drink.</p><p>Dan’s eyes move across the apartment and then land on Lucifer.</p><p>“I … perhaps this is a bad time, but I wanted to catch you before ...” he says before pausing, not knowing how to finish that.</p><p>“Before I die again?” Lucifer asks, his voice low and angry.</p><p>Dan turns his eyes to Amenadiel, unsure if he should push forward. Amenadiel shakes his head as if to say he’s tried. As if perhaps now is not the best time to speak with Lucifer.</p><p>Dan turns and approaches the end of the bar, “Look man … I, I wouldn’t come to you right now if it weren’t important. I been waiting two years to talk to someone about this.”</p><p>Amenadiel tilts his head.</p><p>Dan waves him off, already knowing what he is going to say.</p><p>“No offense, but I think Lucifer is better suited to help me,” Dan says.</p><p>Lucifer turns to him, his interest peaked. He scoffs amused.</p><p>“Now, <em>there </em>is someone who missed me, “Lucifer says lightheartedly, setting his glass down.</p><p>“Since the thing … with my soul? I’ve been having dreams. Nightmares,” Dan says.</p><p>Lucifer narrows his eyes, “You told me you were fine.”</p><p>Dan nods, “and two years ago I was but … they’ve been getting worse. Sometimes I’m not sure if I’m dreaming or …”</p><p>Lucifer slides off the stool, it's loud and clumsy. He’s still clearly<em> very</em> drunk.</p><p>“Or if you’re awake?” Lucifer asks, a shroud of recognition falling over his eyes.</p><p>“I’ve been seeing … I’ve been seeing <em>things</em>,” Dan says.</p><p>Lucifer stares at him for much longer than might seem necessary. He stares until his eyes go blank and start to lower to the floor. Dan narrows his eyes as Lucifer slowly blinks.</p><p>“You okay?” Dan asks.</p><p>Lucifer frowns and waves his hands, “I just,” he says, a small smile forming on his lips, “I’m properly sloshed at the moment,” he says.</p><p>Amenadiel sighs, “Alright enough of this,” he says, annoyed.</p><p>He reaches back and pulls out a feather. Lucifer waves him off, but a drunk and recently human Lucifer is no match for a sober angel. Amenadiel holds him steady before pressing the feather to the bare skin of his neck. It glows hot and bright, and the second is dissipates there is a solidity to Lucifer’s stance. Amenadiel pulls away from him, and Lucifer grunts.</p><p>“Buzzkill,” he says.</p><p>Dan just stares, “That’s … that’s a neat party trick when it works.”</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, “It’s a bloody waste of booze is what it is,” he says, moving back to down the last of his whiskey glass.</p><p>Amenadiel groans.</p><p>Lucifer turns back to Dan.</p><p>“So what? You’ve been having nightmares, but you don’t want the cure-all? So what do you want me to do about them then, hmm? Afraid I’m of little use to you in my current condition unless you want a good shag. I’m on the market now, not that it matters.”</p><p>“I don’t want you to fix them,” Dan says, shaking his head, “I mean yeah, I’d like them to go away, but I’ve seen your definition of <em>fixing</em> things and I’m done with that.”</p><p>“So, what then?”</p><p>“I want you to listen. I <em>need</em> you to take them seriously,” Dan says, “You don’t take anything seriously.<em> Ever</em>. But this I … I get a really bad feeling from them.”</p><p>Lucifer sighs and shakes his head.</p><p>“Daniel, I have very little patience-“</p><p>“I just keep hearing over and over again tell him, tell him. But what the fuck am I supposed to tell? And who? But then the dreams keep coming, and they get worst and worst and then you come back and …”</p><p>“Someone is telling you to deliver a message?” Amenadiel asks.</p><p>Dan nods, “but what am I supposed to tell?”</p><p>Amenadiel turns to Lucifer, and they lock eyes. Lucifer and Amenadiel share the same look.</p><p>Dan pauses.</p><p>“What, what is that?”</p><p>“You’re a messenger,” Lucifer says, turning to Dan, “It’s in your blood.”</p><p>“Okay, but you did your thing and –“</p><p>“We only stopped the messages from coming from Iridius,” Ameandiel says.</p><p>Lucifer nods, “We put the railroad out of commission, so to speak, but the tracks are still there. I imagine if someone were so inclined to send a message they would already have the framework …”</p><p>“What are they saying?” Ameandiel asks.</p><p>Lucifer hums grimly, “More importantly, who is it coming from.”</p><p>“I don’t know … it’s … a shadow,” Dan says, “At night when I sleep, It feels calm and quiet, but then I get this intense feeling like I’m being watched. So, I open my eyes, and there is just this …<em>shadow</em> that stands in the corner. Darker than any darkness around it.”</p><p>Lucifer narrows his eyes, “Sounds like a ghost to me,” he says.</p><p>Dan shakes his head, “No, because my girlfriend doesn’t see or feel it. And … it’s the same feeling from my dreams.</p><p>“You’ve been having dreams,” Amenadiel says, interested in hearing more about that.</p><p>Lucifer sighs and turns back to the whiskey. He raises the glass to take a sip.</p><p>Dan nods, “Yeah. Its always starts out with me standing on this … dark lake. I mean, jet black and the sand … the sand is blinding.”</p><p>Lucifer pauses, his ears going back, the glass to his lips. He narrows his eyes and turns to Dan.</p><p>“The first time I saw it, it came from the lake. Then it stood in the field and watched me. Now it … it stands next to me, made of pure shadow,” Dan says, recounting the dream.</p><p>Lucifer lowers the glass to the bar and approaches closer to Dan, watching him with an intense concentration.</p><p>“Then something happens …sometimes it’s the moon or-or lightning, but it’s usually some form of light.”</p><p>“Does the moon watch you?” Lucifer asks suddenly.</p><p>Dan turns to Lucifer, his eyebrows furrowed. He nods, “Yeah … yeah, it does.”</p><p>Ameandiel looks at Lucifer, “What does that mean?” he asks.</p><p>Lucifer holds a hand out to shush Ameandiel and gets closet to Dan, “Go on,” he says, his interest solely focused on Dan.</p><p>Dan shakes his head, “The light, it … It breaks the shadow and-and I see its face. <em>His</em> Face.”</p><p>“Who is it?” Lucifer asks.</p><p>Dan turns to Lucifer.</p><p>“At first, I thought it was you … I thought you were the person in my dreams and I …” he says, realizing he had put his anger and fear and distrust onto the wrong person.</p><p>Amenadiel and Lucifer stare at Dan, waiting for him to finish his sentence.</p><p>Dan looks between them both, uncertain if he should say it. He takes a deep breath and nods his head.</p><p>“It’s Ezria.”</p><p>Ameandiel furrows his eyebrows, “How do you know it’s not Lucifer, you know they look al-“</p><p>“No. It’s him. I said his name, and he looked at me as if he didn’t expect me to know who he was.”</p><p>“Keep in mind this is a dream, Ameandiel,” Lucifer says, “let’s not get too literal here.”</p><p>Ameandiel sighs and nods.</p><p>Lucifer turns to Dan.</p><p>“This shadow, the one you see when you’re awake. Who is it?”</p><p>“I don’t know,” Dan says, “it doesn’t feel … it doesn’t feel<em> human</em>.”</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, “Of course not, we’re not talking about paranormal activity here, Daniel. Clearly, your divine ancestry is picking up on something of divine origin.”</p><p>“It just stares at me,” Dan says, “and it whispers … it whispers things to me.”</p><p>“What things?” Ameandiel asks.</p><p>Dan shakes his head, “Bad things. Things I – I Don’t want to hear. About my girlfriend, about myself … about- about my kid.”</p><p>Lucifer nods.</p><p>“Listen, I have a bad feeling about your brother,” Dan says.</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, “You once had a bad feeling about me, can’t very well trust your opinion now can we?” he asks.</p><p>Dan nods his head, “I know and … maybe that was more jealous or -or annoyance by how easy it was you just crept into my life, but … this is different. I was never afraid of you. Annoyed at you being an asshole or that Chloe was suddenly paying more attention and putting more trust into you sure, but never afraid.”</p><p>Lucifer stares at Dan, nodding at his honesty. But also not wanting to hear it. They were both exes now. They shared way more in common than he intended to.</p><p>Perhaps that should give him some sense of camaraderie, but it only makes him feel worse.</p><p>“I guess something in me deep down knew you wouldn’t harm anyone who didn’t deserve it. Even after Charlotte I … the point is, I get the distinct feeling your brother isn’t the same way. I don’t know where it comes from, but I just … it<em> feels </em>like somehow I know.”</p><p>Ameandiel nods.</p><p>He knows that feeling.</p><p>“Ezria has always been a loose cannon,” Ameandiel says.</p><p>“Oh, come off it,” Lucifer says, not wanting to hear this.</p><p>“I’m serious, Luci. You are both pulled from the same light, the only difference is your rebellion has principle behind it, however wrong it might be. His rebellion is … well, its rebellion for rebellion's sake.”</p><p>“He had a task,” Lucifer says, “you heard it yourself. Father told him to tempt eve.”</p><p>Amenadiel nods, “True, but what about the temptation of David? Or Jonah or-“</p><p>“Okay, so maybe he got a little carried away with his tasks,” Lucifer says.</p><p>Ameandiel furrows his eyebrows, “Lucifer. Those were never tasks. They happened <em>after </em>he was cast out. “</p><p>Dan just stares, watching them have this conversation.</p><p>“What are you saying?” Lucifer says, turning to Amenadiel.</p><p>“Luci … there’s something not <em>right</em> about Ezria. There never has been.”</p><p>“You’re just jealous,” Lucifer says, shaking his head, “he’s harmless. I wouldn’t have freed him from his cage if he weren’t.”</p><p>“You forget why you locked him in there to begin with,” Amenadiel says.</p><p>“Because <em>you</em> told me to!” he yells, pointing the finger at Amenadiel, “because your lot convinced me he was a monster. That he had <em>ruined</em> father’s project for his own entertainment.”</p><p>Ameandiel sighs, “You two have been tied at the hip since birth. I understand you might want to defend-“</p><p>“No! I will <em>not</em> listen to this nonsense,” Lucifer says.</p><p>“I pissed myself!” Dan yells.</p><p>Lucifer and Amenadiel pause and turn to him.</p><p>Dan stands there, red-faced.</p><p>“I’m a grown man,” he continues, embarrassment and frustration in his stance, “and I took one look at that dude and I … I <em>pissed </em>myself! Like, full-on emptied my bladder in front of everyone at the station!”</p><p>Lucifer grimaces at the idea, and Ameandiel just … takes that in.</p><p>“I sleep with a <em>fucking</em> night light on,” Dan says, getting more annoyed and tears starting to come to his eyes at how fucked up it all is.</p><p>“If I don’t have a light on, I see and hear things, and I just … I want it to stop!”</p><p>“What does my brother have to do with any of this?” Lucifer asks.</p><p>“Because it’s him!” Dan yells.</p><p>“It’s him in the shadow! It’s his name and his voice and ….a voice that isn’t his all-together.”</p><p>“A voice that isn’t his?” Amenadiel says.</p><p>Dan grunts, “It’s like …. It’s like you haven’t been listening to me!”</p><p>Ameandiel sighs and nods, “I truly am sorry,” Ameandiel says as he approaches Dan.</p><p>Dan calms down and shakes his head, exhausted, “It’s … I just want it to-“</p><p>Before he can finish, Ameandiel strikes a punch directly across his jaw, making his face turn at the impact. He immediately goes unconscious, and Amenadiel catches him as he falls.</p><p>“Oh, but there’s something wrong with <em>Ezria</em>,” Lucifer says, pointing to Amenadiel.</p><p>Amenadiel gently lets Dan fall to the floor and lays him down softly.</p><p>“I need to look,” Amenadiel says.</p><p>“Okay, but we could have just called –“</p><p>“No time,” Ameandiel says.</p><p>He turns Dan’s head forward and drapes a hand on either side of his head. He steadies himself.</p><p>Lucifer turns behind him and picks up the whiskey to drink.</p><p>--</p><p> </p><p>Dan opens his eyes, and he is standing in the middle of an open field. The moon sits above, watching him with an intense gaze. Its stare falls onto his face as moonlight. He shakes his head, realizing where he is.</p><p>“No,” he says before turning and smacking up against a dark wall.</p><p>He pauses, steps back, and slowly looks up to see the shadow that ebbs and flows.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you ever wonder what it feels like?” the voice asks, “to have your bones ripped from your flesh?”</p><p>Dan backs away, his chest panting.</p><p>“No,” he says, spinning around an opting to run. It never works, the running, but it is all he can do.</p><p>Except the second he turns around, he smacks up against another wall. This time it isn’t a dark shadow, it’s Ameandiel.</p><p>“Wha… what?” he asks, this being new.</p><p>Amenadiel looks down at Dan then turns to the shadow. He stares at it, not recognizing it.</p><p>The lighting shifts, and Ameandiel narrows his eyes. He feels like he is being watched. He turns to the moon and stares at it, a strange knowing in his eyes.</p><p>He stares at it for much longer than he should before he tilts his head.</p><p>“Father?” he asks.</p><p>“No!” Dan screams.</p><p>Amenadiel turns to see the shadow hovering over Dan.</p><p>Suddenly a bright bolt of light flashes in the sky like lightning and hits where the shadow is standing. It disappears, and Dan sighs, staring at the burning patch in its wake.</p><p>Amenadiel approaches and stares with Daniel. He tilts his head and kneels before plucking a single white feather from the ground nearby. He looks at it, twisting it in his hand.</p><p>--</p><p>Lucifer sits at the bar drinking when Ameandiel lets go of Daniel’s head. He kneels there for a second before placing a hand on Daniel’s chest. The room is still.</p><p>“Go,” he whispers.</p><p>The room is still again, and slowly, Daniel’s eyes move from furrowed to relaxed. Only when he feels Dan is relaxed enough, Amenadiel starts to shake him away.</p><p>“Dan,” Ameandiel says.</p><p>Dan doesn’t respond.</p><p>He sighs and shakes Dan again until Dan starts to respond. He groans and grumbles, the pain of the punch suddenly hitting him.</p><p>Amenadiel helps him to his feet.</p><p>“What was that for!?” Dan groans.</p><p>“I needed to see your dreams,” Ameandiel says.</p><p>“You couldn’t have just waited until I naturally fell asleep?” Dan asks.</p><p>Ameandiel shakes his head and furrows his eyebrows.</p><p>“I needed to see,” he says again as if Dan didn’t understand the first time.</p><p>Dan holds his jaw and shakes his head.</p><p>“Well, I hope it was worth the headache I’m going to have,” he says, “did you at least get anything?”</p><p>Amenadiel nods, “Something.”</p><p>“And? Can you fix it? You know, without … without a feather?” Dan asks.</p><p>Ameandiel smiles and sets a hand on Dan’s shoulder.</p><p>“You’ll be fine. I would suggest investing in a crucifix necklace. Wear it for a few nights, and you’ll be fine.”</p><p>Dan scoffs, “So a demon is after me?” he asks.</p><p>Amenadiel chuckles and shakes his head, “It’s a thank you,” he says, “to my Father.”</p><p>Dan sighs and shakes his head, relenting.</p><p>“Fine, but if this doesn’t work, I’m blaming you,” he says.</p><p>“As you should,” Lucifer says.</p><p>Dan turns to Lucifer and nods, “Hey, uhm … look man, I’m sorry about Chloe.”</p><p>Lucifer doesn’t respond. He just downs the rest of his glass.</p><p>“If you need anything, I’m here for you. You know … I been there.”</p><p>Lucifer scoffs and doesn’t respond. Dan nods, looks at Ameandiel, and turns to leave.</p><p>“I uh … thanks,” he says timidly.</p><p>The door opens, and he enters the elevator. It closes behind him.</p><p>Amenadiel turns to Lucifer and stands there in silence.</p><p>“Well? Did you figure out who the message is from?” Lucifer asks, pouring himself another glass.</p><p>Ameandiel nods and approaches the bar.</p><p>“Father,” he says.</p><p>Lucifer pauses and turns to Ameandiel.</p><p>“Father?” he scoffs, “Of course it bloody is. We clear Daniel of his responsibilities, and he takes it upon himself to send me a message in a bottle like he hasn’t been hounding me since day one.”</p><p>Ameandiel shakes his head, trying to figure it out.</p><p>“Well, what’s the message then?” Lucifer asks, “What’s the message so damn secret he couldn’t just tell me?”</p><p>Amenadiel blinks and turns his eyes to the glass of whiskey in Lucifer’s hand. He grabs it and downs it.</p><p>He hisses at the burn and sets the glass down before turning to Lucifer.</p><p>“War,” Amenadiel says gravely.</p><p>--</p><p>Dan steps out of the front doors of LUX, walking to his car with a far lighter step than before. He doesn’t know if it’s a placebo, but … he feels better. Much better than he has in years. His phone begins to ring, and he pauses. He reaches into his jacket and sees the name on the phone.</p><p>He answers it.</p><p>“Hey babe,” he says, a smile on his face.</p><p>“I’m waiting for you,” she says, “where are you?”</p><p>His eyes raise, and he brings a watch up, “Oh shit, sorry. I had to make a pit stop at the club real quick and stayed longer than I thought. I’m on my way,” he says, shuffling for his keys in his pocket.</p><p>“The club? What are you doing at the club in the middle of a workday?” she asks.</p><p>“My friend, remember the one I told you about? Lucifer?”</p><p>“Yeah,” she says.</p><p>“He just got back from … from that work trip he was taking. Had to do some quick catching up, and I completely lost track of time.”</p><p>She sighs, “Babe …”</p><p>“I know, I know. But I’m on my way, okay? Order me that sandwich I like and a sweet tea,” he says.</p><p>She sighs, “Okay, but hurry.”</p><p>“I’m coming now,” he says.</p><p>“Alright, love you,” she says.</p><p>“Love you too,” he responds before hanging up and walking to his car.</p><p>He walks right past an open alleyway where Jeremy, the crossroads demon, is leaned up against the brick, his eyes intent on Dan.</p><p>Dan gets into the car, starts it and drives off.</p><p>Jeremy steps out of the alley and watches him drive off, his eyes narrowed.</p><p>He is completely convinced Dan should be dead.</p><p>He turns his head towards LUX, and his eyes narrow further.</p><p>He is convinced Lucifer should be dead too.</p><p>He hums to himself, a small smile coming to the former of his lips.</p><p>He re-enters the alley and turns to a plastic-covered container. He turns the plastic up, digs through the things inside, and pulls out a small box. He opens the box to see two dark and jagged blades sitting inside of them.</p><p>“Time to go home,” he says with a wicked smile.</p><p>--</p><p>Inside his private quarters, Ezria and Calmos are nude and lay on a soft blanket on the floor. They kiss passionately, Ezria’s hand enthusiastically moving between the two of them as he grips and pulls firmly on Calmos’ erection. He pulls away from Calmos and smiles.</p><p>“Are you ready?” he asks.</p><p>Calmos nods, a nervousness in him as Ezria leans back and grabs the bottle at his feet. It is almost empty. They’ve used it quite a bit.</p><p>He squirts a few drops onto his hand before reaching down and rubbing it between Calmos’ legs, playing with his asshole a bit before slipping the tip of his finger in.</p><p>Calmos inhales and tenses.</p><p>“Relax,” Ezria says, pulling his hand away.</p><p>“I’m trying,” he says.</p><p>Ezria chuckles and leans in before kissing Calmos.</p><p>“Relax,” he says again as he pulls his lips away.</p><p>His kiss is soft and playful.</p><p>Calmos breathes in and nods before trying to relax.</p><p>Ezria scoots closer and pushes Calmos’ legs up, getting a more revealing look at his anus. He reaches out to rub it gently, allowing Calmos to feel what it is like to be touched there. His eyes turned up to watch Calmos. Calmos stares nervously.</p><p>Ezria then gently pushes, until the tip of his finger is inside. Calmos just stares forward, his mind focused on the feeling of Ezria’s finger slowly sliding into his body.</p><p>He winces, this feeling wildly new and uncomfortable.</p><p>“Relax,” Ezria says again, feeling Calmos tense around his finger.</p><p>“Sorry, I just –“</p><p>“It’s okay, just relax,” Ezria says again, pressing a hand down to Calmos’ chest as Calmos tries to get up.</p><p>Calmos lays flat against the blanket, focusing on breathing until his body gives way, and Ezria’s finger is inside him, up to the knuckle.</p><p>“There, see? Not so bad,” Ezria says.</p><p>“I’m not sure this is in my interest,” Calmos says, his voice tense like he is holding his breath.</p><p>He stares up at the ceiling and being far more uncomfortable than in pleasure.</p><p>He doesn’t quite understand why Ezria likes this.</p><p>“Yeah?” Ezria says with a smile.</p><p>“How about now?” Ezria says before turning his finger and curving it up towards Calmos’ Prostate.</p><p>Calmos yelps and kicks up as Ezria leans forward to hold him down.</p><p>“Oh!” he exclaims breathily.</p><p>“Don’t move,” Ezria says as Calmos immediately reaches down and starts to tug on his erection.</p><p>“Curse the devil,” he hisses, his eyes tight as Ezria moves his finger in and out.</p><p>Calmos moans an unfamiliar moan. It is more high pitched than usual. It puts a large smile onto Ezria’s face and an instant tingle in his crotch.</p><p>“I told you that you’d like that,” he says.</p><p>“Mmm,” Calmos hums, stroking himself as Ezria slowly moves his finger in and out before just gently curling it to stroke the smooth and bulbous gland inside of Calmos.</p><p>“Oh,” he whines, his head tilting to the side as he begins to thrust himself forward into his hand and then backward onto Ezria’s finger.</p><p>“You like that?” Ezria says, a pleased hum behind his words.</p><p>“It feels …. Oh, it <em>feels</em>,” he moans, his breath getting caught in his throat.</p><p>Ezria chuckles to himself before turning and grabbing the bottle with his other hand.</p><p>“You think you can do two?” he asks.</p><p>Calmos turns to him, knowing where this is going.</p><p>“I … I think-,” he begins to say.</p><p>“Let’s just try it,” Ezria says.</p><p>Calmos reluctantly nods, and Ezria slowly withdraws his finger before uncapping the bottle with one hand and letting a bit the fluid run onto his fingers. Here he rubs Calmos’ asshole gently before setting the bottle down and slowly pressing into him with two fingers.</p><p>Calmos again pauses, concentrating on receiving Ezria. On relaxing.</p><p>“Relax,” Ezria says, sweetly.</p><p>“I’m trying,” Calmos says, wincing as Ezria slowly pushes into him. It isn’t painful, the fluid is helping to ease his pressure.</p><p>It’s just … different.</p><p>Once in, Ezria slowly turns his fingers upwards and goes back to massaging Calmos’s prostate. Calmos groans, his arms collapsing at his side as he just gives his body into the feeling.</p><p>“I … Oh,” he says, trying to form words but unable.</p><p>He reaches back down to his cock and starts to stroke it.</p><p>“I told you that you’d like it,” Ezria says, his fingers sliding in and out of Calmos slowly.</p><p>Calmos groans, lifting his legs up on his own, to expose him further.</p><p>Ezria chuckles and beams with pride for getting to show this particular thing to Calmos.</p><p>“You think you can accept something bigger?” Ezria asks.</p><p>Calmos opens his eyes and stares at the stone ceiling.</p><p>“I, uhm …I guess,” he says unsure.</p><p>Ezria leans over him so that his face hovers over Calmos, and their eyes meet.</p><p>“Do you want me inside you?” he asks, more succinctly.</p><p>Calmos stares at him for a moment, trying to make a decision in his mind. Slowly he nods, unsure but sure he wants to try. Ezria smiles and leans in to kiss him. Then he leans back and slowly pulls his fingers out of Calmos. Calmos rests his legs on the rug as Ezria turns behind him and picks the bottle up again.</p><p>“We’re probably going to need all of this,” Ezria chuckles as he uncaps the bottle and pours the remaining liquid onto his cock.</p><p>Calmos watches, his hand slowly stroking his erection.</p><p>Ezria caps the bottle and sets it aside as he rubs the lube all over him before rubbing the remainder on Calmos. Then, he takes one hand and places it on the back of Calmos’s thighs. Calmos raises his legs back up as Ezria scoots in closer.</p><p>He positions the tip of his cock at Calmos’s anus and looks up. Calmos watches him, wide-eyed with fear in them.</p><p>Ezria pushes forward, adding a little bit of pressure, and Calmos immediately tenses up.</p><p>“Relax,” Ezria says, waiting until he feels Calmos relax before pushing forward. He adds pressure again and slowly adds more until the tip of him is in. Calmos hisses, his eyes tight.</p><p>“Relax, Calmos,” Ezria says.</p><p>“I’m trying,” he replies.</p><p>“Breathe,” Ezria says.</p><p>Calmos takes a deep inhale, then slowly exhales, his muscles relaxing just enough that Ezria starts to slowly sink in deeper with little pressure.</p><p>Calmos continues to exhale, blowing out with strain until Ezria stops moving, his cock all the way in.</p><p>It's uncomfortable. It’s <em>highly</em> uncomfortable.</p><p>He doesn’t know if he can do this.</p><p>Ezria leans forward, letting Calmos’ legs fall on either side of his hips.</p><p>“How’s that feel?” he asks.</p><p>Calmos can’t hide the look of discomfort on his face.</p><p>“Like I am going to defecate,” he admits.</p><p>Ezria laughs, “It’ll get better,” he promises, his hips starting to gyrate slowly.</p><p>Calmos gasps, his hand moving forward to push Ezria away.</p><p>“Relax,” Ezria says in a soothing voice, stopping his movement, “If you don’t relax, it will hurt.”</p><p>“I don’t think this will work,” Calmos says, pushing Ezria further off him.</p><p>“Just relax,” Ezria says, seeing the beginning of panic in Calmos.</p><p>“I don’t-“ Calmos begins.</p><p>“Trust me,” Ezria says, his voice soft and his eyes doughy. Calmos can’t help but pause.</p><p>“Please,” Ezria asks.</p><p>Calmos’s eyes ping pong between Ezria’s before he slowly nods.</p><p>“Now just Relax,” Ezria says, “breathe in.”</p><p>Calmos takes a deep breath in.</p><p>“Slowly breath out,” Ezria says.</p><p>Calmos slowly exhales, his eyes shut as he tries to lock the feeling out.</p><p>“Again,” Ezria says, “Breathe in slowly.”</p><p>Calmos slowly inhales.</p><p>“and Out,” Ezria says.</p><p>Calmos slowly exhales, his body slowly relaxing and feeling his muscles give to the floor beneath him.</p><p>“Good,” Ezria says, “Now keep breathing.”</p><p>Calmos nods and manages his breathing as Ezria slowly begins to pump his hips. The movements are small at first, just to get Calmos used to movement inside of him.</p><p>He does well as he manages his breathing, and eventually, he doesn’t have to concentrate on his breathing anymore.</p><p>Ezria takes care to slowly thrust in and out of him, his movements gentle and patient.</p><p>Eventually, the pain and discomfort gives way to the small flutter of pleasure and Calmos grunts. Ezria notices it and smiles.</p><p>“Not all bad?” he asks.</p><p>A small smile comes to Calmos face, not yet ready to give a verdict but not absolutely hating this anymore.</p><p>Ezria continues to slowly pump his hips into Calmos, not going any faster or deeper than he should. Calmos slowly relaxes more, his moans getting louder.</p><p>“Fuck,” Calmos grunts as he reaches down and begins to stroke his cock.</p><p>“It looks like someone likes this,” Ezria says cheekily.</p><p>Calmos huffs and ignores him, chasing a strong feeling building between his legs. Ezria tests him by increasing his speed. Calmos hisses at the change of pace but doesn’t say anything. He keeps his eyes tightly shut and his hand stroking himself.</p><p>“You’re dick is so big,” he huffs beneath his breath.</p><p>Ezria chuckles, his hands planted on the ground near Calmos’ waist. Calmos groans, starting to enjoy this a lot more.</p><p>“You’re inside of me,” Calmos says, a whine beneath his words.</p><p>“I am,” Ezria replies, laughing at Calmos’ sudden lack of an inner monologue.</p><p>“Your dick is in-“ he begins before his words are cut short by an elongated groan.</p><p>Ezria stares down between them as Calmos begins to spurt semen all over his abdomen. Ezria smiles widely. Again, that was quick.</p><p>Calmos moans through each new spurt, Ezria not stopping or softening his movements. When he is done, Calmos’ body relaxes further, and his hand drops to the side. He pants before another moan leaves him.</p><p>“It doesn’t stop, does it?” Ezria says.</p><p>Calmos’ eyes are tight, his head shaking from side to side as if trying to get away. The sight makes a growl come from Ezria, and he leans in and kisses Calmos. Calmos pulls his hands up and wraps his arms around Ezria’s back. Here, Ezria pumps his hips into Calmos, and Calmos reaches his legs around to wrap around Ezria, holding him in place. Ezria pulls away and rests his forehead on Calmos’, panting through each thrust.</p><p>“You feel so good, my King,” Calmos says, panting with him.</p><p>Ezria grunts, sweat developing on the spot where his forehead touches Calmos.</p><p>He moans, his pumping picking up speed.</p><p>“Ohhh,” Calmos moans.</p><p>“I’m going to cum again,” Calmos says, excited and shocked.</p><p>Ezria hears him, but his mind is only focused on one thing. His mind is only focused on how each thrust feels tighter than the last. How close Calmos is holding him. Their breath mixing together in the air between their arms, where their mouths are inches apart.</p><p>It is a cocoon here, warm and safe. He opens his eyes and is met with Calmos’ closed lids.</p><p>“Look at me,” he huffs.</p><p>Calmos opens his eyes, and they stare at one another.</p><p>Ezria continues to thrust, their bodies locked into a movement that – like a freight train – would be uneasy to stop. Not now.</p><p>He stares at Calmos, and in his eyes, he finds acceptance and hope. He finds vulnerability and trust and … love.</p><p>Calmos’ eyes try hard to stay open, but they close right before he groans, and another orgasm hits him. He doesn’t spill his seed this time, but Ezria can feel the pulsing of his muscles, and that is enough to send him over the edge. With a moan and three well-timed pumps, he empties himself into Calmos.</p><p>They climb down together, still locked tightly in each other’s arms. Their foreheads still touching, they pant in the space between them, inside the shell formed by limbs and warm flesh.</p><p>They lay here for a moment until Ezria starts to laugh.</p><p>Calmos smiles, “What is so funny?”</p><p>“Your lack of inner monologue,” he says as he sits up and carefully pulls himself out of Calmos.</p><p>“You’re inside me!” Ezria mocks.</p><p>Calmos grins and rolls his eyes, “I’m sorry I hadn’t planned what I would say my first time,” he says.</p><p>Ezria chuckles and stands up before moving to a nearby basin. Here a tattered cloth floats inside a pool of murky water. He takes it, wrings it out and wipes himself off.</p><p>“I don’t recall you saying anything about my language when we first had sex,” Calmos says, sitting up.</p><p>He immediately reaches down to his backside, where he can feel the remnants of what they just did beginning to leak from him.</p><p>Ezria dips the water in the basin, wrings out the cloth again, and turns to approach Calmos.</p><p>“I might have been too preoccupied to notice,” Ezria admits before motioning for Calmos to lay down.</p><p>Calmos does, and Ezria spreads his legs and begins to wipe all manner of fluids from his backside.</p><p>Calmos smiles, “It seems you are three for three, My King,” he says, “I don’t believe I have any firsts left to give.”</p><p>Ezria chuckles and turns back to what he is doing before pausing. He furrows his eyebrows and turns back to Calmos.</p><p>“Pardon?” he asks.</p><p>“Hmm?” Calmos says.</p><p>“Three for three? What are you talking about?”</p><p>There is a knock at the door that knocks them both out of that conversation.</p><p>Calmos suddenly gets up and grabs his clothing off the nearby couch.</p><p>“One moment,” Ezria says.</p><p>Calmos shuffles to put his clothing on while Ezria takes long, carefree strides towards his bed. Here he grabs the robe he has laid out lovingly, and slips it on.</p><p>“Come in,” he says as he ties the golden belt around his waist.</p><p>He turns to see two guards walk in and part, standing on either side of the door. Behind them enters Jeremy the crossroads Demon.</p><p>Ezria looks him over for a moment before narrowing his eyes.</p><p>“What is so important you had to interrupt me in my private quarters?” Ezria asks.</p><p>Jeremy nods and stands tall.</p><p>“My apologies, my liege,” he begins.</p><p>Ezria narrows his eyes, “You shall address me as I am. Your King,” he says.</p><p>Jeremy looks around cautiously and then turns to Ezria. He clears his throat.</p><p>“I … I do not mean to insult your authority, it’s just …” he says, “I thought it pertinent to deliver this message in person. I fear it might not reach you. What would the other demons think if they knew?”</p><p>“Knew what?” Ezria asks.</p><p>“I thought you should know what your brothers are doing,” Jeremy says.</p><p>Ezria sighs, “I have many brothers – and sisters for that matter. Which brothers do you speak of?”</p><p>“Amenadiel and Lucifer,” Jeremy says.</p><p>Ezria chuckles and shakes his head. He turns to Calmos as Calmos slips on the holster that carries a long sword.</p><p>“I suppose you haven’t heard that Lucifer is dead,” Ezria says, turning back to Jeremy.</p><p>Jeremy pauses, his eyebrows furrowed.</p><p>Jeremy shakes his head.</p><p>“No, my Lord. He isn’t.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>We are almost there folks! Gooooooood I hope you like it!</p><p>Follow me on hrfiction.tumblr.com to see updates on this fic and others!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Compassion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ezria learns Lucifer is alive and pays a visit to Father Kyle, Chloe tries to talk to Lucifer, Lucifer isn’t taking the whole Jack thing well, Ameandiel is a good brother, Ezria finally speaks with his Father, Chloe celebrates her birthday, Lucifer makes a deal he wont go back on and Ella invites Abel over for pizza,</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>--- --- ---- ------ ---- --</p><p>Ezria stands in his private quarters, his eyes narrowed as Jeremy the crossroads demon speaks.</p><p>“What are you saying?” Ezria asks, his attention solely on Jeremy.</p><p>Calmos comes to stand by Ezria, his hand on his blade.</p><p>“I want something in return first,” Jeremy says.</p><p>Ezria’s eyes drop down Jeremy’s frame then pull back up to his face. He narrows his eyes as darkness begins to bleed into them.</p><p>“You believe you are in a position to barter?” Ezria asks, slowly stepping forward.</p><p>Jeremy matches each of his steps forward with one step backward, cautiously nodding.</p><p>“I do. I- I think we can make this whole encounter beneficial to us both,” Jeremy says.</p><p>Ezria narrows his eyes further, until they are almost pure slits of black on his face.</p><p>“In exchange for – for information, I want to come home. No more crossroads. I want to be able to come home,” Jeremy says.</p><p>Ezria stops his moving forward and tilts his head. A smile comes to his face.</p><p>“That’s it? You wish to come back to this place?” he asks, surprised.</p><p>Jeremy looks at him oddly and nods, second-guessing if he should ask for more.</p><p>Ezria scoffs in amusement and turns to Calmos.</p><p>“He wants to come back,” Ezria says.</p><p>Calmos nods, unsure of why this is funny.</p><p>Ezria turns back to Jeremy, the darkness fading from his eyes as he laughs. He chuckles and walks back to his bed. Here he carefully takes a seat.</p><p>“Go on then,” Ezria says.</p><p>“You, so you agree? I can come back?” he asks.</p><p>Ezria waves his hand as if waving that thought off.</p><p>“If what you say is true, and only until I verify it is true, then you shall have your home here.”</p><p>Jeremey stands tall now, happy smiling.</p><p>“Okay!” he says.</p><p>“So, tell me,” Ezria asks, “what makes you think Lucifer is still alive?”</p><p>--- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---</p><p>Father Kyle sits in his office, peeling an orange. He is much more put together and calmer. Though despite his young age, his hair is greyer, and his eyes look weary. The last two years have not been kind to him.</p><p>A knock on the door makes him look up from his orange.</p><p>“Come in,” he says, setting the orange peels aside.</p><p>The door opens, and Amenadiel enters.</p><p>“Ah,” Father Kyle says, an air of familiarity in him, “Amenadiel, come in. I take it you’re here to argue with me over scripture again?”</p><p>Amenadiel smiles and shakes his head before turning to the figure behind him.</p><p>Lucifer enters the room with the disdain he usually reserves for ... well, <em>any</em> church. Father Kyle pauses, his eyes wide.</p><p>“Father, meet-“</p><p>“Lucifer,” Father Kyle says breathily, in disbelief.</p><p>Lucifer furrows his eyebrows and tilts his head.</p><p>“It seems my reputation precedes me,” Lucifer says.</p><p>Father Kyle stands, staring at Lucifer as if he has seen a ghost.</p><p>“Its … it’s you,” he says.</p><p>“Yes,” Lucifer says, an odd confusion in his voice, “it is.”</p><p>Father Kyle stands and walks around to the front of the desk. Lucifer notices the recognition in his eyes.</p><p>“I’m sorry, have we had sex?” Lucifer asks.</p><p>Father Kyle pauses, his smile fading momentarily.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Sex, you and me. Did it happen?”</p><p>Father Kyle scoffs, “What? No,” he says, off-put by that.</p><p>Lucifer shrugs and turns back to Amenadiel.</p><p>Amenadiel moves forward towards Father Kyle, “I ... I brought him here because you wanted to see him.”</p><p>Father Kyle nods, “I had thought you forgot about my request,” he says, moving towards the bookcase.</p><p>Amenadiel shakes his head, “No. It’s just … well, it’s difficult to pin him down these days.”</p><p>“On account of me dying,” Lucifer says, filling in the information gap.</p><p>“Ah, yes. Because of the prophecy,” Father Kyle says, peeling a bible from the bookcase.</p><p>Lucifer turns to him, and his eyes narrow, “You know?” Lucifer asks before turning to Amenadiel.</p><p>“He knows?” Lucifer asks.</p><p>Amenadiel nods, “This is who I have been getting to interpret the book for me.”</p><p>“it’s taken much longer than we expected,” Father Kyle says, setting the bible down onto the table and turning to Lucifer, “You can imagine how hard it is to unravel God’s plans. Especially ones he might not want unraveled.”</p><p>“It’s a wonder why you are still standing,” Lucifer says, “He’s killed one of you for much less.”</p><p>Father Kyle laughs and nods, “Yes. I’ve asked myself that often,” he says, looking at his feet.</p><p>Lucifer’s eyes narrows, “and your answer?”</p><p>Father Kyle smiles and turns to look at the bible on the table.</p><p>“I believe that God leads us to where we need to be at the exact moment we need to be there,” he says, opening the bible and pulling out the tattered section of a feather.</p><p>Lucifer looks at it, then the snap of recognition comes into his face.</p><p>“Where did you get that?” he asks.</p><p>Father Kyle smiles and walks forward before handing it to Lucifer, to its rightful owner.</p><p>“I was a boy,” Father Kyle says, “and my parents had spent the night fighting. I had gone to bed with the sound of them fighting in my ears.”</p><p>Lucifer takes the broken feather and looks at it, staring at the burned edges. His eyebrows furrow the more Father Kyle speaks.</p><p>“So, when I awoke to the sound of screaming, I thought I had just woken to another one of their fights.”</p><p>Father Kyle’s eyes stare into the distance.</p><p>“But then I smelled the smoke,” he says, his eyes snapping to Lucifer, “and I felt the heat. I tried to leave my room, the stupor of sleep still leaving me confused, but when I burned my hand on the handle of the doorknob …I knew.”</p><p>He turns his palm up, revealing a raised and incomplete ring of scar tissue.</p><p>“Impossible,” Lucifer whispers beneath his breath, his eyes moving from the feather to Father Kyle.</p><p>“I was certain I would die,” Father Kyle continues, “So, I did what my mother always told me to do when I was scared,” he says, his eyes turning back to the bible, a loving stare.</p><p>“I prayed,” he says.</p><p>Lucifer shakes his head, “No, that … that was a<em> dream</em>,” he says.</p><p>“What is going on?” Amenadiel asks, stepping forward.</p><p>“So, I wasn’t surprised when an Angel came to save me,” the priest continues, “I mean, I was on some level. As a child, even if you believe these things, they are … far away. Stories with teeth but no legs.”</p><p>Lucifer moves to sit in the chair, his eyes wide. It was a dream, right? The boy and the fire? Wasn’t it?</p><p>Limbo hadn’t been a dream, it was a real place so …</p><p>No.</p><p>No, this can’t be.</p><p>Amenadiel stands forward again, lost in this conversation,” What is happening?” he asks.</p><p>Father Kyle crosses his arms and watches Amenadiel, his words still directed at Lucifer.</p><p>“I wasn’t surprised that an angel showed, “he continues, “just …<em>which</em> angel.”</p><p>“It was a dream,” Lucifer says out loud, the question behind his words only showing his uncertainty.</p><p>“Our house burned to the ground that night, and my parents had convinced me that seeing an angel was some … <em>wild</em> interpretation of an apparition or perhaps my own fear given form.”</p><p>Father Kyle shakes his head, “but then my father found that feather. In the ashes. What apparition leaves behind physical proof that Angels are real? That God is real?”</p><p>“Feather in the ashes?” Amenadiel asks.</p><p>Father Kyle nods. Amenadiel thinks about what he saw in Daniel’s dream. He turns to Lucifer and looks over him in unknowing glances.</p><p>Lucifer just stares forward.</p><p>Had he … gone back in time? In a dream? In his sleep? That wasn’t his gift.</p><p>Hell, that wasn’t even Amenadiel’s gift. That sounded more like –</p><p>“Father,” Lucifer grunts, “He must have done this. Time doesn’t exist to him. He … he must have moved me in my sleep. He’s toying with me. Showing me that he can do with me as he pleases.”</p><p>Father Kyle nods as he sits, “I’ve told myself many times over the last two years why all these coincidences keep happening to me. That I should be saved by you in a fire. That I should be given proof of divinity. That an Angel should walk into my office as I grow bored with dealing with the … senseless problems of people.”</p><p>“That God wouldn’t punish you for working on unraveling his plan,” Amenadiel says, seeing where this is going.</p><p>Father Kyle points to him and winks, “and there it is.”</p><p>“You think he wants you to help us?” Amenadiel says.</p><p>“I think he wants us to know what it is he is planning,” Father Kyle says.</p><p>Lucifer shakes his head and sets the feather down. He finally looks at Father Kyle.</p><p>“And why now? After we’ve been trying to get him to tell us for a millennia,” Lucifer says.</p><p>Father Kyle nods and hums grimly, “That is … that is the question, isn’t it? Why now?”</p><p>They sit in silence for a moment, Father Kyle narrowing his eyes and staring into space.</p><p>“It is almost like he has been waiting, but … for what?” Father Kyle says, his words teetering off as he goes back into his head.</p><p>“Well, tell him what you told me,” Amenadiel says, “what you’ve figured out so far.”</p><p>Father Kyle nods, his eyes still staring forward, “Right,” he says before his eyes snap to Amenadiel.</p><p>“Right.”</p><p>Father Kyle leans forward and opens a drawer. Here he opens a thick folder and sets it on his desk.</p><p>He sighs as he opens the packet as if he had spent so much time working on this that he was getting sick of even seeing the papers.</p><p>“And skip to the important parts, “Amenadiel says.</p><p>Father Kyle nods, “Not interested in my diatribe on duality, today?” he teases.</p><p>“Not especially,” Amenadiel responds.</p><p>“Well, all I’ve managed to get so far is that the Book of Samael and the other books recovered all tie into the common theme of redemption. Of … restoration through sacrifice.”</p><p>“Sacrifice?” Lucifer asks.</p><p>Father Kyle nods, “There are common themes of duality, of man having the propensity of both light and dark but striking balance between the two. The Book of Samael is about an Angel who is unable to see past their own ego. Pride without fault,” he says.</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, “I was young. I dare you to find one of your youth without pride,” he says.</p><p>Father Kyle shakes his head, “It is not what makes you faulty, Lucifer,” he says,” It is what makes you unique. No other Angels seem to have the same story arc. Mutiny, rebellion, the fall …and now, redemption.”</p><p>“I have no interest in going back there if that is his great plan,” Lucifer says, huffing, amused at how stupid that idea is.</p><p>“I don’t believe it is up to you to decide,” Father Kyle says.</p><p>“And therein lies the problem,” Lucifer says, “all I’ve wanted was to decide my own path. This does nothing to solve the root of why he kicked me out in the first place.”</p><p>“The other books are in a similar vein,” Father Kyle continues, “Redemption, restoration through trial and error. It’s very clearly a coming home of sorts.”</p><p>Lucifer scoffs.</p><p>“What does this say about him becoming human?” Amenadiel asks.</p><p>Father Kyle shakes his head, “Not much. I mean, it speaks of human qualities, sure, but it doesn’t say much about the actual process.”</p><p>“What about the war?” Amenadiel says.</p><p>Father Kyle sighs and shakes his head, “For the millionth time it isn’t about war,” he says, “This is about …this is about an angel finding his station back amongst God.”</p><p>Lucifer scoffs and stands, “I have no interest in going back there,” he says.</p><p>Father Kyle shakes his head, “I’m sorry, but it is all very plainly written. You are meant to be an Angel again, to go back to the silver city. To live among-“</p><p>“I don’t care what he wants!” Lucifer snarls, turning to Father Kyle, “It has never been about what he wants. I’ll care what he wants when he cares about what I want!”</p><p>Father Kyle furrows his eyebrows, “What do you want?” he asks.</p><p>Lucifer pauses as if he’s never been asked that. He has, she had asked him but … it hits differently now. Now that she is gone.</p><p>“It-” he begins to say,” It doesn’t matter what I want anymore. Not when it doesn’t want me back.”</p><p>Lucifer turns his eyes to the broken feather in his hands, then turns and sets it back on Father Kyle’s desk. He turns and leaves, and Amenadiel watches him go. Amenadiel lets go of a large sigh and turns back to Father Kyle.</p><p>“He … he is going through some things, “Amenadiel says.</p><p>Father Kyle nods, his eyes distant as he thinks, “Mm,” he says.</p><p>“Are you sure you haven’t gotten anything about war?” Amenadiel asks, searching.</p><p>Father Kyle sighs, “Nothing. There is conflict, there are struggles but not war.”</p><p>“Conflict?”</p><p>“Mm,” Father Kyle nods, “between both sides of ourselves. Between the dark and light, good and evil. Duality Amenadiel. We must seek to strike a balance between these things. Embrace that we are neither good nor bad. That our actions can hurt or help, and the outcome is entirely left to us.“</p><p>Amenadiel nods and sighs as he turns to leave.</p><p>“Thank you,” Father Kyle says.</p><p>Amenadiel pauses and turns his head to Father Kyle.</p><p>“For remembering my request,” he says.</p><p>Amenadiel tosses him a small smile.</p><p>“I shall leave you to your duties,” he says before leaving.</p><p>Father Kyle sits there for a moment, rocking in his chair, his mind going a million different places at once. He turns his eyes to the feather on the desk.</p><p>Right place, right time, he thinks.</p><p>--- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---</p><p>The night passes, and the sun comes up over another Los Angeles day. It’s a little afternoon, and if his appearance is anything to go by, Lucifer has been brooding all night. Downstairs at the main bar of LUX, he sits by himself.</p><p>The club is empty, even of workers, and despite the lights on around him, they might as well be off. Lucifer sits by himself at the bar, nursing another glass of whiskey and staring endlessly into darkness.</p><p>His jaw clenches in anger that is only meant to hide the utter devastation he feels in his bones.</p><p>He hears the door open behind him but doesn’t turn around. He doesn’t care who it is.</p><p>He hears the footsteps, it sounds like boots—notably, the kind of boots <em>she</em> wears.</p><p>He turns his head slowly, his eyes narrowed as he turns to see who it is. He is not at all shocked to see Chloe walking down the steps cautiously.</p><p>Like he was a stranger.</p><p>He scoffs and turns back to his drink.</p><p>“Where’s <em>Jack</em>?” he says.</p><p>He lifts the glass up to his face and gulps down the remainder of his whiskey, hoping this drop would drown out the feeling of emptiness in him. He hadn’t felt this way in so long he had forgotten how cold it felt.</p><p>He has a cigarette perched in between his fingers, lit, and smoking. She ignores his question and pushes forward anyway.</p><p>“You’re human now,” she says with a small smile, “You should probably cut back on the smoking and drinking.”</p><p>He scoffs and pops the cigarette into his mouth, taking a deep drag on it.</p><p>“What gave it away?” he asks before he exhales.</p><p>Chloe approaches the bar, standing a few feet away from him.</p><p>“You mean other than the giant knot on your head?” she says with a reserved smile.</p><p>He scoffs and takes another drag of his cigarette.</p><p>Chloe’s eyes go down to the bandage wrapped around his hand, and her eyebrows furrow.</p><p>“What happened to your hand?” she asks, trying to start a conversation that steers away from the obvious.</p><p>He looks down at his hand and turns to her.</p><p>“A wall,” he says, exhaling and flicking the ash into the ashtray before sliding off the stool and walking down the long edge of the bar, away from her.</p><p>“Care for a drink?” he asks.</p><p>She shakes her head.</p><p>“No, I … I don’t plan on staying long, I just wanted to see how you were doing. We uhm … we should probably talk.”</p><p>“What is there to talk about?” Lucifer asks, as he walks around the back of the bar and turns to the wall of booze.</p><p>“Lucifer,” she says, her tone indicating she didn’t want to beat around the bush, “I just … I know this is probably confusing for you. I figured maybe … I don’t know. Maybe you could use some company? What are you doing tonight? I’m having a few people over for my-“</p><p>“What does Jack drink?” he asks, looking at the rack of booze as if carefully picking his poison.</p><p>Chloe shakes her head, “We’re not talking about him. We’re talking about you and-“</p><p>“Does Jack like whiskey?” he asks, the disdain dripping from his lips as he pulls a fresh bottle down from the rack.</p><p>He starts pouring himself another glass.</p><p>This pour seems longer than it should be.</p><p>“He strikes me as a cocktail kind of man,” he says, lifting the glass up to his lips and chugging half of it in one go.</p><p>Chloe sighs, “Lucifer. I know this must be hard but-“</p><p>“or maybe a sex on the beach, hmm? Something bland and …<em>girly</em>,” he says, setting the half-empty glass on the countertop.</p><p>Chloe rolls her eyes, “I can’t do this with you. If you’re going to be a jerk about it, then I can’t do this,” she says, raising her hands in surrender.</p><p>“Oh!” he says, amused, “that’s all it took, huh? Imagine that. The Detective. <em>Walking away</em>.”</p><p>She shakes her head and narrows her eyes, “What is <em>wrong</em> with you?” she says, crossing her arms, “Look I know you’re upset, but that’s no reason for you to be an asshole about this.”</p><p>He scoffs and sets the whiskey bottle down heavily on the bar.</p><p>“An asshole?” he asks.</p><p>He turns and walks down the long end of the bar again, before walking around the front of the bar towards Chloe.</p><p>“I’m the one that just came back from Limbo. I’m the one who just crawled out of the ground after getting smashed like a pancake at the bottom of an elevator shaft. And what did I find but the woman I love is shacking up with some daytime television reject? Oh, but <em>I’m</em> the asshole? Blame the Devil, shall we? It’s my fault, isn’t it?”</p><p>He chuckles, turns to the glass on the bar, and lifts it to his lips.</p><p>“You sure moved on quickly,” he says, disgust in his voice.</p><p>She purses her lips as she watches him drink. Getting more annoyed and incensed by the second.</p><p>“How dare you!” she hisses at him through her teeth, getting up into his face, angry at the devil.</p><p>He sips from his glass, ignoring her and not amused.</p><p>“You have <em>no idea</em> what I went through!” she says.</p><p>“How many nights I spend <em>crying</em> over you and wondering when you would come back. Being told that you were nowhere to be found. Heaven or hell.”</p><p>He looks at her, his eyebrows furrowed.</p><p>“I <em>did not</em> move on quickly,” she says, “I lingered. I lingered way longer than I should have.”</p><p>“How easy of a decision it was for you. Just admit it. You wanted to leave. You just needed a reason,” he says, not convinced, placing the glass on the countertop.</p><p>She reaches forward and pushes the glass off the inside edge of the bar, causing it to fall and shatter onto the bar floor.</p><p>He scoffs, “Did Jack teach you that?” he asks angrily.</p><p>“I waited for you!” she screams, the pain coming through in her voice and starting to set tears in her eyes.</p><p>“Well, you didn’t wait long enough, did you?!” he yells back, “No, at the first chance to get out you found, you went for it.”</p><p>She steps back from him, disgust in her words.</p><p>“You’re impossible,” she says, as if she were just now seeing him without rose-colored glasses, “You expect me to wait for you forever?”</p><p>“I would have,” he replies.</p><p>She shakes her head. She scoffs, unamused, her arms crossing again.</p><p>“Must be nice to have the luxury of time,” she says.</p><p>“Do you even love him?” he asks, his jaw clenched.</p><p>He doesn’t know why he is asking the question, but … he needs to know. He needs to know how far gone this thing is.</p><p>She pauses, the look of uncertainty in her eyes, and he sees it. Briefly, a flash of hope fills his heart.</p><p>“Why are you even with him if you don’t love him?” he asks.</p><p>“Lucifer,” she begins, thinking this conversation needs to end before they say or do something they shouldn’t.</p><p>“Because he is mortal? Because he has a respectable job and a respectable persona?”</p><p>She furrows her eyebrows and shakes her head, “You know I don’t care about any of that stuff,” she says.</p><p>“Then, why? Because I <em>know</em> his penis isn’t bigger than mine,” he says.</p><p>She shakes her head, “You don’t know that,” she says.</p><p>He lowers his head and looks at her, “Darling … come on.”</p><p>She scoffs, “This isn’t about sex or any other stupid …insignificant thing.”</p><p>“Then why?” he begs, his voice needy, “Why would you choose him over me?“</p><p>“Because he doesn’t expect me to wait!” she screams.</p><p>Lucifer pauses.</p><p>“Because he doesn’t <em>make</em> me wait! He isn’t some celestial being on a mission from God. He doesn’t make me feel powerless. He doesn’t make me feel like … like there is nothing I can do.”</p><p>Lucifer stands back.</p><p>“Because when he dies, he doesn’t come back two years later and look at me like I’m some … <em>bitch</em>. Like I’m the worst person to walk the earth.”</p><p>He furrows his eyebrows and shakes his head, “Chloe I would ne-“</p><p>“Because he doesn’t look at me like I’m the only person he will ever love. Because it removes the pressure off my shoulders of being that person. Of being the devils’ only girlfriend.”</p><p>“Darling, you were doing just fine,” he says.</p><p>“Was I?” she asks, almost genuinely, because it felt like so long ago she <em>was</em> doing just fine.</p><p>When he held her at night. When she didn’t have to worry about waking up the next day and having him be gone, be <em>dead.</em></p><p>They stand there, staring at each other. He narrows his eyes, unsure what to say to that.</p><p>“You knew what you signed up for,” he says coldly.</p><p>She shakes her head, “I didn’t sign up for this. To be driven crazy by the idea that there is nothing I can do to stop the man I love from dying over and over again.”</p><p>“It’s <em>me</em> who dies over and over again,” he says, frustrated that no one understands it is happening to him.</p><p>“and how do you think it makes <em>me</em> feel?!” she asks.</p><p>“Oh come on,” he says, annoyed, “You can’t be that daft.”</p><p>She shakes her head, staring at him as if she just saw something she didn’t think she’d ever see.</p><p>His selfishness.</p><p>“Unbelievable,” she says.</p><p>When Lucifer was selfish, it wasn’t normally aimed at her. It was aimed at others, <em>for </em>her.</p><p>Now, she can see it, and her mind suddenly has a clarity it had been lacking.</p><p>“You know …for months I wondered why this was happening to us,” she says, ”After so long of fighting and pretending like we meant nothing to each other … we had <em>finally</em> found something. I thought it must be some cruel joke from God to suddenly have that taken away.”</p><p>“It <em>is</em> a cruel joke from Father,” Lucifer says, “and you fell right into the punchline.”</p><p>Chloe shakes her head, “Now I see time is exactly what I needed to see how much of a <em>jerk </em>you really are.”</p><p>She looks over him as if disgusted she ever once wanted to touch him.</p><p>“I loved you,” she says, shaking her head as if she couldn’t believe It, “I gave myself to you in a way I have never given myself … to<em> anyone</em>.”</p><p>“Even Jack?” he asks, the disdain still in his voice.</p><p>She narrows her eyes, the anger in her heart wanting to strike back. To hurt him like he is hurting her.</p><p>“You know, maybe I should have taken a clue from all those other women,” she says, tilting her head, her tears now dry in her rage.</p><p>“and only used you for the <em>one</em> thing you are good for. The <em>one</em> thing you are worth,” she says.</p><p>The rage in his eyes fades, and he stands there, staring at her. That struck a chord deep within him.</p><p>That … <em>hurt.</em></p><p>“Goodbye, Lucifer,” she says, but it lacks the sweetness it usually does.</p><p>It is cold and harsh and final. She turns and walks up the stairs.</p><p>He stands there, watching her walk away. His jaw shifts as if he was locking it back into place before he turns back to the bar top. He grabs the bottle of whiskey off the top of the bar and slides it off before arcing it up and taking a swig directly from the bottle. He turns his eyes to the broken glass on the floor. He pauses only momentarily before turning and walking up the banister.</p><p>When he reaches the top, he walks towards his elevator. He pauses and turns to look through the glass front doors of LUX. He watches just long enough to see Chloe get into her car and drive off. He doesn’t say anything. He just nods to himself and takes another swig before heading towards the elevator.</p><p>--- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---</p><p>The next time the penthouse elevator is in use, hours have passed, and the sun has just set over the horizon.</p><p>The penthouse elevator opens, and Amenadiel steps out to a ransacked apartment. His eyebrows furrow as he walks in and looks around. His eyes flow over the empty bottles by the bar and down the overturned stools. They go past the de-pillowed sofa and broken coffee table to finally land on the hunched figure sitting on the balcony in a chair.</p><p>It's getting dark, but Amenadiel can make out the amber liquid in a glass bottle on the table. He can see the trail of smoke rising up from Lucifer's face.</p><p>"Luci?" he asks.</p><p>Lucifer turns around with a flat and concentrated look on his face. When he sees Amenadiel, a genuine smile curls onto his lips.</p><p>"Brother!" he says, standing quickly, the breeze hitting the thin silk robe on his skin.</p><p>When he stands up, he stumbles a bit before catching himself on the chair.</p><p>"Do you remember the castle in Italy?" he asks, entering the living room, stumbling over his feet.</p><p>He trips and falls down onto a stray pillow in the recessed living room. Amenadiel walks forward to pick him up.</p><p>"You're drunk," he says, disappointed, "<em>Again.</em>"</p><p>Lucifer laughs, turning onto his back, "Isn't it grand? I feel so …"</p><p>He pauses before spreading his legs and arms, revealing he isn't wearing anything beneath his robe.</p><p>"Wooo!" he says before chuckling.</p><p>The way he is laughing, it is hard to tell that he is hurting, but Amenadiel knows.</p><p>Amenadiel turns his head, not quite prepared to see that angle of Lucifer.</p><p>The cigarette in Lucifer's hand falls onto his abdomen, and he reaches down and slaps it off quickly. Once it is on the floor, he reaches out and picks it up before looking at it. He turns to Amenadiel before putting it in his mouth.</p><p>"Three-second rule!" he says before inhaling.</p><p>"Lucifer," Amenadiel says, "I know you're distraught, but this is no way to act."</p><p>Lucifer scoffs and peels himself off the pillow. He stands and briefly stumbles farther back than expected before catching himself.</p><p>"Oh please," he says, "I don't need your advice. I need you …"</p><p>He pauses and swallows, presumably holding down whatever was about to come up.</p><p>"I need you to have a drink with me!" he says when his crisis is averted.</p><p>"What?" Amenadiel says as Lucifer clomps back to the balcony to retrieve the whiskey. Amenadiel follows.</p><p>"Yes, yes. To celebrate my freedom!" he says before grabbing the whiskey and taking a swig.</p><p>He turns to Amenadiel and holds out the whiskey, "I'm a free man! In all possible senses. No pesky wings, no silly devil face, and<em> definitely</em> no Chloe."</p><p>Amenadiel sighs, and shakes his head, "Luci-" he says with pity in his words.</p><p>"I am a man!" Lucifer says, hearing the tone of Amenadiel's voice, "I should experience all manners of humanity as they should be. The drink. The drugs. The women. Oh ... <em>the women</em>!"</p><p>Amenadiel sighs and accepts the whiskey and turns to look where he can set it. He settles on a side table near the couch that seems lucky enough to have survived whatever happened in the living room.</p><p>"Luci … love isn't easy," he says.</p><p>Lucifer scoffs.</p><p>"Love?! Pfff. There is no such thing," he says, the carelessness slipping in his eyes for a second to reveal the true hurt he feels.</p><p>Amenadiel sighs.</p><p>"Listen, we can talk about it," Amenadiel says, reaching back and pulling out a feather, "but first we have to get you sober."</p><p>Lucifer pushes Amenadiel's hands away.</p><p>"Get that out my face," he says upset before walking away, towards the balcony.</p><p>Back to his position overlooking the city.</p><p>"I'm mortal now! Human! Let me enjoy it before father decides to kill me again," he says.</p><p>Amenadiel shakes his head, "That's not the way we should-"</p><p>"Better yet," Lucifer says, "Why not just speed this affair along? Hmm? He's so eager to kill me, why not just let him have it? That should take the <em>joy</em> out of it for him."</p><p>He turns and grabs onto the railing before pulling himself up onto it.</p><p>Amenadiel moves forward his hand out, "Lucifer," he says gravely.</p><p>Lucifer balances himself precariously on the thin glass of the balcony railing. Despite being incredibly drunk, he has the balance of … well, someone <em>non-human.</em></p><p>"Lucifer, get down from there," Amenadiel says, walking forward.</p><p>"Come on!" Lucifer yells at the sky, "get it over with old man! You won! You got what you wanted!"</p><p>"Lucifer! Stop this madness at once!" Amenadiel says, his voice deep and serious, "You're being stupid!"</p><p>"Stupid?" Lucifer asks, "Stupid? So that is what you all think of me, huh? Stupid ol' devil, falling in love with a mortal. Willing to give it all up and turn over a new leaf."</p><p>"Lucifer, I know it's hard, but … you aren't helping the situation here by being reckless," Amenadiel says.</p><p>Lucifer laughs at himself before he is suddenly thrown off balance. The cigarette in his hand falls off the balcony's edge. Lucifer catches himself, and Amenadiel steps forward with his hands out, ready to catch him.</p><p>He stands straight and looks behind him to the ground below. He scoffs. Lucifer reaches into his pocket and pulls out a cigarette case.</p><p>"I got news for you, brother," he says, sticking a new cigarette into his mouth, "I'm the same old <em>bloody</em> leaf."</p><p>He pauses.</p><p>"Have you got a light?" he asks, "I'd light it myself, but it seems that's just one more thing father has taken away from me."</p><p>He pauses before he starts to wildly chuckle.</p><p>"Me!" he says, amused, "The Devil! <em>Powerless</em>."</p><p>He chuckles and loses his balance again. This time he tilts backwards, clearly about to fall. Amenadiel quickly reaches out and grabs Lucifer by his robe.</p><p>Lucifer hangs off the edge, the only thing separating him from falling is Amenadiel's clutch on his robe.</p><p>He laughs amused and spreads his arms, tilting his weight back even more. Amenadiel holds on tighter.</p><p>"Come on!" he screams to God, his arms open, "Do it, you bloody psychopath! I dare you!"</p><p>Amenadiel grunts and yanks Lucifer off the balcony's edge. Lucifer chuckles as he stumbles and lands on his feet. Amenadiel pushes him towards the living room.</p><p>He loses his balance and falls back onto the pillows. He laughs, giggling with glee that should be reserved for a child.</p><p>"Don't be so somber, Amenadiel," Lucifer says, chuckling to himself.</p><p>"You're human now Luci, you can't be so reckless. So … uncaring."</p><p>Lucifer continues to laugh, finding amusement in Amenadiel's seriousness.</p><p>"What is the point?!" he says, his smile fading to anger, "you're damned if you do and damned if you don't! I have no power, Amenadiel. Anything I do is pointless."</p><p>"How do you think it would make Chloe feel if she knew you were behaving like this?" Amenadiel asks.</p><p>Lucifer's anger falls to a silent pause. He scoffs and slowly stands, leaning on the couch for support. When he finally has his legs beneath him, he walks across the living room to his bar.</p><p>"I know its painful," Amenadiel says, "but you have to think about your life now. You have to think about your own mortality and how it might affect others. Climbing onto the ledge is not thoughtful, it's …thoughtless."</p><p>Lucifer reaches for his glass of whiskey.</p><p>"And drinking in excess is also not wise," Amenadiel says, approaching Lucifer.</p><p>"Oh come off it, brother," Lucifer says, now annoyed, "if I'm going to mortal at least allow me to indulge."</p><p>"This isn't an indulgence, Lucifer, this is … self-destruction."</p><p>Lucifer scoffs.</p><p>"That supposes there is anything left to destroy," Lucifer says, bringing his glass up.</p><p>Amenadiel sighs with pity behind his eyes. He moves to Lucifer and places a hand on his chest. Lucifer turns to him, offended by his touch.</p><p>They lock eyes.</p><p>"Be still," Amenadiel says, his voice stable and soothing.</p><p>Lucifer stares at him, tears starting to come to his eyes.</p><p>"Don't do that to me," he says, smacking Amenadiel's hand off him.</p><p>Amenadiel puts his hand back quickly on Lucifer's chest.</p><p>"Be still," he says again, this time stronger, warmer, louder.</p><p>"I said, stop it!" Lucifer says, smacking his hand off again.</p><p>Amenadiel places his hand back, this time he brings his other hand behind Lucifer's back, pressing down firmly on Lucifer's chest so he couldn't move if he tries.</p><p>"Be still," Amenadiel says, commanding.</p><p>Lucifer stares at him, his breath held. His hand drops the glass instinctively, and it lands on the bartop.</p><p>He gasps, his breathing changing as Amenadiel stares into his eyes. Lucifer tears up and brings a hand to rest on Amenadiels.</p><p>Amenadiel's eyes soften.</p><p>"It's not easy," he says, "but you can get through it."</p><p>Lucifer laughs. It is airy like he's letting the weight of it all to rest onto Amenadie's hand.</p><p>"Yes?" Amenadiel asks.</p><p>Lucifer nods, his lip quivering.</p><p>Amenadiel smiles briefly before his smile falls.</p><p>He lets his hand rest there as Lucifer blinks away the tears. When he is certain Lucifer has settled, he removes his hand.</p><p>Lucifer reaches up to wipe his eyes, clearing his throat and trying to pretend like that didn't just happen. Like the pain hadn't been …commanded away.</p><p>What a <em>human</em> way to heal.</p><p>"Listen, I was going to go to the pier and stargaze tonight," Amenadiel says, "Perhaps it might do you good to come with me? Fresh air, those corndogs you like. You can tell me about your shapes in the stars again," Amenadiel says with a smile.</p><p>Lucifer shakes his head.</p><p>"I … I think I need to be left alone," he says.</p><p>Alone.</p><p>That word doesn't sting so much anymore. In fact, it seemed …<em>calming</em>.</p><p>Amenadiel's nods and pats Lucifer's shoulder.</p><p>"For what it's worth, I don't really like Jack," he says.</p><p>Lucifer chuckles, walks shakily around the bar, and pulls out a can of seltzer water. He cracks open the can and raises it to his lips.</p><p>"It's not your fault, brother, it's mine," he says, taking a sip, "I was the one who yelled at her, made her run away."</p><p>Lucifer shakes his head, "She's right," he continues setting the can on the counter, "I went away. Mortals live in pieces of time."</p><p>He burps, a little bit of vomit coming up. He smacks his lips and takes another sip of seltzer water.</p><p>"It's unfair for me to take more than I am worth. A year is far too long to wait for me," Lucifer says, "Let alone two."</p><p>Amenadiel frowns.</p><p>Lucifer sighs, sets the can on the bartop, and then walks around the bar.</p><p>"Alright, do it and get on with your evening," he says.</p><p>Amenadiel looks at him oddly.</p><p>"Do what?"</p><p>"Make me not drunk," Lucifer replies.</p><p>Amenadiel laughs and reaches behind him to pull out a fresh feather.</p><p>"Can I leave you alone?" he asks, pressing the feather to Lucifer's bare chest.</p><p>"I'd prefer it," Lucifer says, staring out into nothingness.</p><p>The feather glows and dissolves into his skin, and suddenly he's not as red, and his pupils aren't as dilated. His stance, though slightly uneven, is strong and sturdy.</p><p>Amenadiel nods before heading to the elevator.</p><p>"I'll call someone to clean this place up," Amenadiel says.</p><p>"I'll do it," Lucifer says before turning back to his messy apartment, "I did it, so I will clean it."</p><p>Amenadiel nods and presses the button to call the elevator.</p><p>"Oh, and Luci?" he says.</p><p>Lucifer turns to him.</p><p>"She's been through enough for one mortal, okay? She may be angry, but she's still the same Chloe. She will forgive you if you ask for it."</p><p>Lucifer nods, taking that to heart.</p><p>"Just don't be … well, <em>you</em> and not do something for her birthday because you are mad at her. You'll only regret it."</p><p>Lucifer's eyebrows furrow, and he turns fully to Amenadiel.</p><p>"Her birthday?"</p><p>Amenadiel nods and presses the button.</p><p>Lucifer raises his eyes to the sky then shuts them tightly, kicking himself for not realizing it.</p><p>Of course.</p><p>She had come over because it was her birthday, and he had been too into himself to see. She was probably going to invite him to whatever shindig she had planned.</p><p>"Shit," he hisses, putting his hands on his hips.</p><p>--- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---</p><p>It’s closing time, and Saint Catherine’s Church is empty. The pews are clean and clear, and with the exception of slowly burning candles near the alter, it looks as though there Is no life here.</p><p>That is, until Father Kyle comes out of his office and locks the door behind him. He stretches and turns to the alter before smiling and sighing.</p><p>He walks past the altar and turns to walk down the long middle aisle. He walks slowly between pews, checking to make sure no homeless men and women have come to sleep until closing.</p><p>Certainly, it was his duty as a man of God to help them, but they couldn’t seek shelter here. The church could offer them salvation, not food or water.</p><p>He walks closer to the front door, his keys jingling in his hands. He begins to whistle to himself before hearing the loud croak of the heavy wooden doors of the cathedral opening, seemingly of their own accord.</p><p>He pauses, his whistling stopping.</p><p>The doors open only slightly, revealing the dark night behind them. A breeze rolls through that blows out a nearby candle.</p><p>His eyebrows furrow. It must be windy outside. He narrows his eyes.</p><p>What kind of wind could open a heavy door?</p><p>He slowly approaches the door before the long, thin frame of a man steps through the crack in the door, his eyes gazing around as if he were unfamiliar with – or at the very least uninterested in – this place. His turn forward and fall onto Father Kyle.</p><p>Father Kyle relaxes and smiles, “Ah, Lucifer,” he says.</p><p>The man narrows his eyes.</p><p><br/>“Have you returned to speak about the book?” Father Kyle asks, “because I’m a little worn out tonight as you might imagine. Could you come back tomorrow?”</p><p>Ezria pulls away from the door and walks closer to Father Kyle. His gaze never moving from him. Father Kyle drops his eyes down to Ezria’s body, and the smile on his face slowly disappears.</p><p>He turns back to look at Ezria’s face and begins to back away from him.</p><p>This man shared Lucifer’s face, but his body was different, as was his disposition. He wore a white robe and not a suit. His limbs were thinner, and he walked in a strange undulating motion, like a snake through the grass.</p><p>“You’re not Lucifer,” Father Kyle says.</p><p>Ezria shakes his head, darkness bleeding into his eyes. It fills Father Kyle’s body with a fear that is hard to describe.</p><p>“No, I’m not,” Ezria responds.</p><p>Father Kyle walks backwards, each step he takes matched by Ezria’s slow and stalking pace.</p><p>“I- I-,” he begins to stutter.</p><p>“Tell me, why might you think I am Lucifer?” Ezria asks, his head tilting.</p><p>“I just …I just thought-,” Father Kyle says, his eyes wide and a thudding from his chest threatening to break his rib cage.</p><p>“Did you think that because we look alike? Or perhaps you were expecting him to visit you?” Ezria asks.</p><p>“I … who…,” Father Kyle says, backing further towards the alter.</p><p>Ezria walks further until suddenly, he stops. His eyes move up towards a giant crucifix on the back of the church, behind the altar.</p><p>He grimaces in disgust.</p><p>“His only son,” he says, the idea laughable.</p><p>He steps forward before pausing again, a sudden heaviness coming over him. Father Kyle can see it, he doesn’t walk with the same light effort as before.</p><p>Ezria’s eyes blink as if he is trying to hold something in, then he grunts and walks forward, his legs heavy like he wears cement shoes.</p><p>The candles on the altar begin to flicker, and Father Kyle turns and runs behind it.</p><p>“Be gone!” he yells</p><p>“Tell me about Lucifer,” Ezria says, his eyes boring a hole into Father Kyle.</p><p>“Out with you!” Father Kyle yells.</p><p>Ezria approaches the steps up to the altar and collapses at it, holding his gut. He groans and peers up at a terrified Father Kyle.</p><p>“What of Lucifer?” he asks, “What does the book say about him? About the final war? You want to tell me about it, don’t you?”</p><p>Father Kyle stares at him, his eyes locked into Ezria’s as whispers fall around him.</p><p>“I- I-“ he begins to say.</p><p><em>You want to tell him,</em> a voice says into Father Kyle’s ears.</p><p><em>He deserves to know</em>, another says.</p><p><em>What harm can come of telling him?</em> Another whispers.</p><p>.</p><p><em>What harm can come of not telling him?</em> Another voice says, darker and joyous…almost laughing.</p><p>“It’s not about war,” Father says, “it’s … it’s about restoration.”</p><p>Ezria narrows his eyes.</p><p>“About Lucifer finding his place in heaven again,” Father Kyle says.</p><p>Ezria furrows his eyebrows, and the whispering stops.</p><p>“What?” he says, the need behind his eyes fading into a light hazel.</p><p>Father Kyle stands there, a strange cold falling over him.</p><p>He turns to Ezria and finds him staring at him, with eyes that look … hurt.</p><p>“I-, what –“ Father Kyle begins to say, unsure of what just happened.</p><p>Ezria stands and stumbles backwards, back to a few pews away from the alter. Here he leans over and holds onto his stomach, a strange churning happening within him.</p><p>“He is going back?” he asks before looking up and turning to Father Kyle, “without me?”</p><p>Father Kyle doesn’t say anything, he just stands there, his hands clutching the keys in his hand as if that could do anything against this doppelganger. This demon with an angel face.</p><p>Ezria stands up straight, a confusion behind his eyes, as if he were realizing his whole life he had been lied to.</p><p>“Be gone with you Demon!” Father Kyle yells.</p><p>Ezria snaps his eyes to Father Kyle.</p><p>“How <em>dare</em> you,” he says.</p><p>His wings pop out, the metal blades arcing upwards as they open, slicing the pews on either side of them in half vertically.</p><p>The wood splinters and cracks, and Father Kyle turns his head, not wanting splinters to fall into his eyes.</p><p>“I am Ezria,” he says, the lights hanging from the ceiling begin to flicker.</p><p>“True son of God! The Angel of temptation. The snake of Eden.”</p><p>Father Kyles pauses.</p><p>“The snake of …what?”</p><p>The darkness bleeds into Ezria’s eyes again, as anger overrides him.</p><p>He had thought Lucifer was his friend, his brother. The only one that had his back. But perhaps he had been a fool to think the one who had caged him to begin with could be anything but a captor.</p><p>Even now, they had lied to him. They had conspired to keep him in hell while Lucifer was to go back home, to the silver city.</p><p>“I am a son of God!” he yells, his chest rising and falling.</p><p>“For too long they have thought of me as complicit, hidden me away like some … reprobate!” he screams.</p><p>Father Kyle stands there, staring with fear at Ezria. This being dawned in his white and gold robes with his jet black wings in full span. The horror in his eyes barely covered by awe.</p><p>“No more! I will no longer have my desires pushed aside<em>,”</em> Ezria says, the grip on his stomach tightening.</p><p>He grunts and turns, his wings folded behind him on his back. He walks down the aisle, Father Kyle watching him. Before Ezria gets to the door, it creaks open for him as if tempted. He walks through and exits the church.</p><p>Father Kyle stands, trying to figure out what the <em>hell </em>just happened. He reaches up and draws the sign of the cross on his chest before cautiously moving towards the door.</p><p>Around the corner, Ezria approaches an alleyway before he keels over, his hand holding onto the wall of a nearby brick building.</p><p>His mouth opens, and an inky black liquid pours out of his mouth. He splashes on the ground like water, and he chokes on it momentarily before catching his breath.</p><p>Nearby, a homeless man peeks out from a small cardboard box. He furrows his eyebrows before climbing out fully. Ezria finally stands, folds his wings into his back, and stumbles down the alley. He approaches the homeless man and catches his eyes.</p><p>“Are you alright, my King?” the man asks.</p><p>Ezria grunts as a trail of fire crawls on the lower half of the building. It crawls onto the floor and carves out a doorway that collapses into a fiery hole.</p><p>“No,” he says, darkness seeping into his eyes as he walks past the doorway, down the alley and off into the city of Los Angeles.</p><p>--- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---</p><p>The oven door opens, and a plume of heat smacks Ella dead in the face. She turns her head to the side before reaching in with an oven mitt and pulling out a round pizza stone. On top of it sits a sizzling, bubbling, cheesy pizza.</p><p>She sets it on her stovetop and closes the oven before tossing the mitt onto the counter.</p><p>She eyes the pizza before an excited hum escaped her lips, and she turns to a nearby drawer. She dances, ridiculously excited about a shitty oven pizza as she sifts through an assortment of serving spoons before finding and pulling out a small pizza wheel.</p><p>She raises it up in the air, ready to cut when she hears a knock on her door.</p><p>She turns to the door, turns back to the pizza, and nods to herself, suddenly nervous.</p><p>“Coming!” she says, setting the pizza wheel down and walking to the door.</p><p>She pulls up her tight jeans and pulls down her rising tank top before shaking her nervous energy off and pulling her back straight. Then, she reaches out and opens the door.</p><p>On the other side, Abel stands dressed down in a white hoodie and a pair of grey sweatpants. Her eyes instinctively move down to the bulge that pokes through his sweatpants a little bit too much.</p><p>“I brought movies and cheesecake!” he says, holding up a clear plastic container with a cheesecake dripping with strawberry sauce.</p><p>He inspects it as he holds it up, making sure it didn’t leak on the ride over.</p><p>“I love cheesecake,” she says, her weight shifting onto one leg and an expression on her face that indicates she actually really does love cheesecake.</p><p>He chuckles as she steps aside for him to enter, “I know. I thought we should have a little dessert with our movie.”</p><p>She nods and closes the door behind him.</p><p>“Oh, that pizza smells great!” he says, moving into the kitchen and opening the fridge as if it is something he’s done several times.</p><p>He leans in, shifts a bottle of juice out of the way, and sticks the cheesecake in.</p><p>“Yeah, I was just about to cut it,” she says, moving to the pizza and grabbing the wheel.</p><p>“Suppose I came right on time,” he says, smiling as he shuts the fridge door.</p><p>She turns behind her as he slips his sneakers off and sets them by the door.</p><p>“You’re uh … you’re not wearing your outfit,” she says.</p><p>He turns to her, looks down at himself, and smiles.</p><p>“We don’t need to wear them <em>all</em> the time,” he says.</p><p>“I thought that was the whole point of wearing them?” she says, turning around, torn over the fact that she was looking …well …<em> there</em>.</p><p>Torn over the fact that she wanted to look … <em>there</em>.</p><p>Abel laughs and approaches her before pulling himself up onto the counter and sitting.</p><p>“Well, I have a different understanding of God than most people,” he says, leaning in,” I don’t really think he cares. Actually, I<em> know </em>he doesn’t care, and to be quite honest, neither do I. I can prevent souls from ending up in hell naked if I wanted to.”</p><p>Ella chuckles nervously, trying to stop imagining him naked.</p><p>“Sorry, too deep of a subject so early in the evening, huh?”</p><p>She smiles and clears her throat and turns to the pizza. She tries to swallow the nervous butterflies in her stomach.</p><p>She leans in and starts to cut the pizza. Abel watches her, leaning in carefully. He eyes her, then eyes the pizza.</p><p>“Can I have that one?” he says, pointing to a particularly cheesy one.</p><p>She smiles and nods.</p><p>He slips off the counter and approaches her before grabbing the crust and pulling it away. She watches him take it out; the cheese still gooey and stringy.</p><p>“Careful, though,” she begins right as he scoops the tip of the pizza into his mouth and takes a bite.</p><p>Immediately he huffs and blows air in and out of his mouth.</p><p>“It’s hot!” she says, laughing, “I <em>just</em> took it out the oven.”</p><p>He bites it, his mouth open and letting air circulate in and out.</p><p>“Ah, Oh,” he manages to get out, “it burns so good.”</p><p>She laughs and goes back to cutting the rest of the slices.</p><p>“Have you decided what we are watching yet?”</p><p>“Mmm,” he says, the pizza cool enough now that he can actually taste it.</p><p>She turns to him, and he looks up at her.</p><p><br/>“What?” he asks.</p><p>“Did you decide what movie we are watching?” she asks.</p><p>He nods, “Smokin’ Aces,” he says.</p><p>“Let me guess, another action movie?”</p><p>He nods with a smile.</p><p>“Lots of guns, very colorful… very cool.”</p><p>She rolls her eyes and moves to her cabinet to pull out plates.</p><p>“So, if your superiors or whatever see you in sweatpants, they aren’t going to … freak out?” she asks, setting the plates on the counter.</p><p>He shakes his head, “We have an understanding. Turns out knowing a few angels is good for getting people to not be too concerned about what you do.”</p><p>She scoffs and shakes her head.</p><p>“Well,” he clarifies, “as long as it is moral. You’d be surprised some of the secrets these other guys are holding.”</p><p>Ella grunts, “I don’t even want to know.”</p><p>Abel nods, “there is no saving them,” he says, sighing.</p><p>Not that he would want to. There is a special place in hell for-</p><p>“I guess it’s just a human tradition,” Ella says.</p><p>Abel raises his eyes and nods, “Yes, it is. God doesn’t seem particularly bothered by what we chose to cover our bodies with. I mean, he made us without clothing. It’s more about what I believe. How I conduct myself. I can have wine, but I shouldn’t gorge myself. I can smoke, drink … but I need not overindulge. It’s all about balance.”</p><p>“Makes sense,” she says, turning and opening her fridge.</p><p>She leans down and pulls out a bottle of wine.</p><p>“Wine?” she asks, holding the bottle up.</p><p>He furrows his eyebrows.</p><p>“With pizza and cheesecake? Did you not hear the part about overindulgence?”</p><p>She chuckles and shrugs, “More for me.”</p><p>She reaches into her cupboard and pulls out a glass of wine. She sets it on the counter and pours before looking up at him. He stands there, chewing his pizza, his eyes moving back and forth between her and the wine glass.</p><p>Her smile falls into a frown the more she thinks about it. About why she had insisted they have a movie night.</p><p>About why she had invited him over with the lure of pizza and action movies.</p><p>About him wearing sweatpants that he clearly didn’t understand showed more than he intended.</p><p>“I uhm … I wanted to ask you something,” she says, turning her eyes back to the wine as she sets the bottle down and brings the glass up to her lips.</p><p>“Mm?” he asks, biting into the cooling pizza in his hands.</p><p>“What uhm … you know, why are you here? Like, with me?” she asks.</p><p>He chews and tilts his head, watching her with a focus reserved for puzzles.</p><p>He swallows his bite.</p><p>“You invited me,” he says.</p><p>She rolls her eyes, “No, I mean us. Like, we hang out a lot and I… I guess I just wanted to know…”</p><p>“Why we are friends?” he asks.</p><p>“Not quite what I was asking, but … yeah, let’s start there,” she says.</p><p>He shrugs, “Because you called me?” he says, shaking his head, not understanding.</p><p>“I thought- I mean I thought things were going well between you and I. Is there something I did wrong?” he asks.</p><p>“No,” she says, waving him off,” I just … I guess I’m wondering what it is you are after. You know, like … what is the goal? In all of this?”</p><p>He pauses for a moment, and his eyes move to the side as if thinking.</p><p>“I suppose I just … I just want to be normal,” he says, shrugging.</p><p>His eyes drop down to the pizza in his hands.</p><p>“I mean … life before hell was bland and uneventful. Then there was hell and I … I would rather not describe what that was like.”</p><p>His eyes go distant, and he stares into the expanse of space, though really he’s just staring at the pizza on the stovetop.</p><p>“Then there was the silver city, where I had learned so much but felt so … out of place. Like I didn’t belong. Then there was revenge. I felt like I had a purpose, I felt like I had …<em>something</em>,” he says.</p><p>“Then there was and wasn’t,” he continues, “and I was …alive and unalive. Thinking and unthinking.”</p><p>“Schrödinger’s cat,” Ella says.</p><p>He turns his eyes to her, “Huh?”</p><p>“Schrödinger’s cat. It’s a paradox,” she replies, “That idea that something can both exist and not exist, and there is no way of knowing which is real.”</p><p>He narrows his eyes, “That is a strange cat,” he says.</p><p>Ella chuckles and pulls the wine up to her lips.</p><p>“I think,” Abel says, lowering the pizza slice, “I think I would like … a home, and a wife, and children. Perhaps a regular job at some point, though I don’t really know what that would be. I … I’ve spent the majority of my lives in the service of God and, I kind of just want to do my own thing, you know?”</p><p>She shakes her head, “Then why did you choose the priesthood?”</p><p>He shrugs.</p><p>“Because I still do not yet know what I would do. Shepherding is kind of a lost art and … I imagine there are very few flocks of sheep in Los Angeles.”</p><p>She chuckles and nods.</p><p>“You don’t have to stay in L.A.,” she says.</p><p>He looks at her, his eyebrows furrowing, “Of course I do,” he says.</p><p>She shakes her head, “You can go anywhere you want to.”</p><p>He looks at her, words right behind his eyes, his lips already forming the sentence he wants to say, but he stops himself.</p><p>He stops himself from saying he wanted to stay here, with her.</p><p>“Whatever it is,” he continues, shaking his head, “I just want it to be normal.”</p><p>“So, you’ve said, “she teases.</p><p>He nods, “These are the things I desire,” he says with conviction.</p><p>She nods and turns to her wine.</p><p>“That seems … it seems like you are low balling yourself,” she says, turning back to him, “you could do so much more.”</p><p>He nods, “Perhaps but … I am tired,” he says.</p><p>She shakes her head and sighs, “I get it, I do. I mean … I’m tired too. Men are intimidated by my job, and they all want to get married and have kids and make me sit at home like some housewife or …at the very least get a job that doesn’t deal with dead bodies.”</p><p>He shakes his head, “Why would you do that? You’re good at it,” he says, confused.</p><p>She holds her hand out to him, “Thank you!” she says, “that’s what I say.”</p><p>“I don’t know anyone more fascinated by death than you,” he says, “and I’ve sat with demons for eons.”</p><p>She pauses, “Thanks?” she asks, more of a question than anything.</p><p>He smiles and slides off the counter before setting the pizza on one of the plates and slapping his hands together, clearing the crumbs from his fingertips.</p><p>“Well, you know what I think?” he asks, getting closer to her.</p><p>She tenses up immediately.</p><p>“N-No, what?” she asks.</p><p>He smiles and reaches past her so that he enters her space, and she can smell him. It’s not cologne he wears or perfume. It’s laundry soap. He smells like the smell of fresh linens.</p><p>It’s warm, he’s warm.</p><p>She <em>really </em>wants to kiss him.</p><p>He reaches up and grabs a glass from the cabinet. He brings it down and slides it next to hers.</p><p>“I think we should have a toast,” he says, “to getting what we both desire … eventually.”</p><p>She smiles and scoffs, “You’re starting to sound like Lucifer,” she says.</p><p>He hums to himself as he grabs the wine bottle and uncorks it. He begins to pour some wine into his glass.</p><p>“That guy doesn’t know when to say enough is enough,” he says before corking the bottle, “I’m just glad he decided not to destroy me again.”</p><p>Abel pauses for a moment, remembering what it was like in that place. Some part of him still wants to return there, to that peacefulness. The other part of him doesn’t understand why he would.</p><p>He realizes he is staring into nothingness and snaps his eyes to Ella, a small smile that doesn’t quite meet the eyes on his face.</p><p>“To balance,” he says.</p><p>She smiles and raises her glass.</p><p>“To balance,” she says.</p><p>They clink their glasses together and take sips. When they bring their glass down, they smack on the wine, tasting it.</p><p>She turns her eyes to him and finds him staring at her. They lock eyes, and both just stare, a thick silence between them.</p><p>She clears her throat.</p><p>“I uhm …” she says before sighing, “The reason I asked you-“</p><p>“Would it be –“ he begins.</p><p>They both pause, and she chuckles nervously.</p><p>“Sorry, you go,” she says.</p><p>“No, you go. Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt,” he says.</p><p>“I was just- I was just going to ask if maybe you wanted to … like, go out sometime,” she says, “As you know, like a date or something. Like, not as friends but a romantic date. Like a … you know, a <em>date</em> date.”</p><p>Abels tilts his head, his eyebrows furrowed at her for a second. Then a small smile grows on his face. That small smile turns into a wide smile, but he doesn’t say anything. He just stares forward, a massive grin on his face.</p><p>“Or you know, or not. I – I was just thinking that-“ she says, watching him as he just stares forward.</p><p>“I’m sorry I … what were you going to say?” she says, turning to take a gulp of her wine.</p><p>“I was going to ask you if it would be inappropriate to want to kiss you,” he says.</p><p>She chokes on her wine and coughs as she brings the glass down. She sets her hand on her chest, coughing to clear the wine from her throat.</p><p>She turns to him to find him looking at her, a smile still on his face. The more she stares at him, the more that smile falls.</p><p>She isn’t responding. Maybe he read things wrong. She did just ask him out on a date, he thinks, but maybe that was just a-</p><p>“Y-Yes,” she says.</p><p>He pauses and furrows his eyebrows.</p><p>“Oh,” he says, stepping backward.</p><p>Her eyes raise as she realizes she answered incorrectly, “I mean no. No, it won’t be inappropriate,” she says.</p><p>“Oh,” he says, his eye raised, “Oh! Oh, okay… good.”</p><p>They stand feet apart from each other for a second before he slowly moves closer to her.</p><p>There is nervousness there that comes from both of them. She turns her body to him so she is facing forward. He lifts his hand up and tenderly places it on the side of her face before leaning in and kissing her.</p><p>It is light and soft and not at all filled with lust or carnal need. It lingers longer than it probably should, and when they separate, a soft smile forms on both their lips.</p><p>“That was nice,” she says.</p><p>He smiles, “It was.”</p><p>“I want to do it again,” she says.</p><p>“Me too,” he says before they both get closer and kiss again, this time it is still soft, but there is an inkling of desire there.</p><p>They stand there, kissing, their bodies moving closer and closer together. He steps forward, and she moves backwards until he has her pinned against the countertop. His hand comes up and slides across the back of her head, their kiss becoming deeper and longer and more passionate.</p><p>She sets her hand on the counter, looking for something to stabilize the excited and nervous shaking in her leg. Her hand accidentally bumps a wine glass and almost knocks it over. They both turn as it clinks against the bottle. Abel catches it before it falls over, spilling some wine on his hand and hoodie.</p><p>“Sorry!” she says.</p><p>He chuckles, and she reaches for a paper towel to wipe the counter down.</p><p>“We … may have gotten a bit carried away,” he chuckles.</p><p>She frantically wipes down the spilled wine, and he turns and walks to the sink to wash off his hand.</p><p>He turns to see her still wiping up the counter and is unsure of what to do now.</p><p>“Uh … so,” he says, moving back towards the pizza, “the movie. We should uhm … probably get that started.”</p><p>She nods, “yeah,” she says, clearing her throat.</p><p>Her mouth is suddenly dry, and there’s a familiar tingle between her legs.</p><p>Abel looks down to see he has wine on his hoodie, “Oh, I got a little wine on my shirt,” he says.</p><p>Ella looks down at is and frowns, “I’m sorry, I-“</p><p>“It’s fine. It's just a hoodie,” he says, chuckling as he reaches down and grabs onto the bottom of it.</p><p>He pulls it up over his head, it momentarily takes a bit of the shirt beneath it and pulls it up, giving Ella a sneak peek at the happy trail that leads to…</p><p>“It’s white, I can bleach it,” Abel says.</p><p>Ella nods, but she’s not really paying attention to what he is saying anymore. She’s thinking of something else, namely if priests are allowed to have sex on the first date. Is this the first date? They’ve known each other for way too long for this to be the first date. Hell, she hasn’t even had a <em>date</em> in way too long.</p><p>She gathers the paper towels and tosses them into the trash. Abel begins eating his slice again. This time it is much cooler and easier to eat.</p><p>He hums pleased into the cheese, “It’s so good,” he says.</p><p>His pleasurable noises sound much more …<em>salacious</em> than they should to her ears. She watches him for a moment. She had gotten the nerve to ask him out, and they had just made out in her kitchen.</p><p>So … perhaps the idea of sex was not out of the ballpark? They had known each other for two years now with so little as a peck on the cheek, so it wasn’t like she’d be moving too fast.</p><p><em>Ah, what the hell</em>, she thinks ready to throw caution to the wind.</p><p>She hadn’t had sex in a very long time, and there was no use pretending she didn’t want it now.</p><p>“Forgive me,” she croaks out, her throat dry.</p><p>He turns to her, pizza in his hand, “Hmm? he asks, “It’s fine. It’s just a little spilled wine.”</p><p>He points down to the stain on his hoodie, “Plus, it’s a jogger, so …no big deal.”</p><p>“Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned,” she says.</p><p>He narrows his eyes, his shoulder dropping.</p><p>“What?” he asks, chuckling.</p><p>“It’s been …well, it’s been a while since my last confession.”</p><p>“Ella, honestly. It’s not that big of a deal,” he says.</p><p>“I’ve been having … impure thoughts,” she says, “in fact I’m … I’m having them right now.”</p><p>He pauses, frozen like a block of ice, suddenly catching on.</p><p>“And I … I’m having a hard time saying no,” she says, slowly approaching him.</p><p>He stares at her, his eyebrows furrowed.</p><p>“This is incredibly blasphemous,” he says, lowering the pizza and dropping it back to the plate.</p><p>Ella shakes her head and closes her eyes.</p><p>“Sorry you’re,” she stutters as she stops walking forward and backs up, “you’re right I-“</p><p>“I like it,” Abel says with a smile.</p><p>She pauses, then smiles and moves closer to him.</p><p>“You’re a shitty priest,” she says.</p><p>“We’re human too,” he responds, as she reaches her hands up to pull him into another kiss.</p><p>It’s still sweet and soft, but behind it is intention. He kisses back, and slowly the sweetness of their kisses turn darker. Their tongues prod deeper until she has <em>him</em> pushed up against the counter, and his hand cradles the back of her head, holding her in place.</p><p>She pulls away from him.</p><p>“Let’s take this to my bedroom?” she asks.</p><p>He nods enthusiastically. She grabs his hand and leads him to the room. His smile falls momentarily, and he stops, pulling her back to where he is.</p><p>“Wait, I … just …”</p><p>“What?” she asks.</p><p>“I haven’t … I mean, in this body, I haven’t,” he begins to stutter.</p><p>“You haven’t-“ she says, trying to finish the sentence he is having trouble getting out.</p><p>“I might not be that good, you know at first. I –“</p><p>“Oh,” she says before furrowing her eyebrows, “but you’ve been here for two years.”</p><p>“Yeah, well, people don’t usually want to have sex with priests,” he says, “Not that I was interested, mind you. I just … I didn’t get many offers.”</p><p>She chuckles.</p><p>“Okay,” she says.</p><p>“Okay?” he asks.</p><p>She nods and begins to pull him to her bedroom again. He still doesn’t move, and he yanks her back.</p><p>“Wait!” he says.</p><p>She grunts now, starting to get impatient.</p><p>“What now?”</p><p>“And, even when you know ... I’m back in practice, it might not be what you expect. I mean, I’m not like Lucifer,” he says.</p><p>She furrows her eyebrows, “What does this have to do with-“ she begins before she realizes what he is suggesting.</p><p>“Oh! Oh, no, <em>no</em>. I haven’t slept with Lucifer,” she says, aghast.</p><p>Abel tilts his head, “You haven’t?”</p><p>“No. <em>God</em>, no. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I thought about it. I’m only human, but … no, we’ve <em>never </em>had sex.”</p><p>“But … everyone has sex with Lucifer,” Abel says, confused.</p><p>“Have <em>you</em> had sex with Lucifer?” she asks, her eyebrows raised in curiosity.</p><p>“What? No!”</p><p>She smiles, “Well, then we’re even.”</p><p>He nods and smiles, “We’re even.”</p><p>“Now, can I drag you off to my lair, or do you want to tell me more about how shitty you are in bed?”</p><p>He chuckles and shakes his head, “No I … I think I’ve said my peace. Drag away.”</p><p>“Good,” she says, before walking towards her bedroom, pulling him by the arm.</p><p>This time he moves freely.</p><p>“Uh, wait,” he says, standing still again.</p><p>She groans frustrated and turns to him, not at all happy that he’s holding up the thing two years in the making.</p><p>“Do you want to have sex or not?” she says.</p><p>“Of course,” he says, shaking his head like that was a dumb question, “I just … did you turn off the oven? You know it does a number on your gas bill.” he asks.</p><p>She pauses and looks past him to see the light on the oven is on.</p><p>She sighs.</p><p>She lets go of him, clomps over to the oven, and presses the off button. She watches it for a second to make sure it is off, then she turns back around, grabs his hand, and yanks him into her room.</p><p>He chuckles at her aggressiveness.</p><p>--- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---</p><p>A sober and more composed Lucifer steps out of the shower and reaches for a towel. He wraps it around him before leaning forwards and wiping the fog off the mirror. He looks horrible, by angel standards, but he supposes by mortal standards he looks fine.</p><p>The bags beneath his eyes are lighter, possibly due to the two years of rest, and the knot on his head isn’t as apparent.</p><p>It is still painful, though.</p><p>He scoffs at himself as he reaches forward and grabs a bottle of cologne. He spritzes himself with it and sets the bottle down.</p><p>His stomach starts to turn, and he reaches out and holds it. It feels hot, but that could just be from the shower.</p><p>“Ugh,” he says to himself, standing up as the rolling settles down.</p><p>He supposes he might have to rethink drinking heavily In his current condition.</p><p>He hears movement in his living room and turns to the doorway.</p><p>He pauses, making sure he hears correctly before walking forward into the office area and staring into the living room.</p><p>Here, Ezria stands, his wings at full span and clearly<em> very</em> pissed.</p><p>“You!” Ezria says with such venom, it gives Lucifer pause.</p><p>“Me?” he asks, seeing how Ezria is walking towards him, with little intention to stop.</p><p>“Wait, before you-“ he begins, trying to warn Ezria.</p><p>Ezria heaves forward and pushes Lucifer so hard it sends him flying across the room. He hits the back wall and falls onto the floor.</p><p>He groans in pain. He wants to hold onto his stomach, which starts to roll and turn, but now he has to worry about the searing pain in his back. It feels like the wind has been knocked out of him.</p><p>Ezria reaches down and grabs Lucifer by the hair, pulling him up.</p><p>“Ow! Ow! Ow!” he says, pulling a hand up to hold onto Ezria’s hands for fear Ezria might rip his scalp clean off.</p><p>“You are going back without me?!” Ezria growls.</p><p>“Wha-?” Lucifer huffs, trying and failing to pull Ezria’s grip from his hair.</p><p>“Ezria, please! It hurts!” he screams.</p><p>“Good!” Ezria says, tossing him to one side by his hair.</p><p>He lands on this floor, and before he can even process the pain, he hears Ezria’s feet walking towards him.</p><p>He turns around on to his back, his hands in a defensive position</p><p>“Wait! Wait! I’m human!” Lucifer says.</p><p>That gives Ezria pause, his fist in the air.</p><p>He stares at Lucifer for a long time.</p><p>“What did you say?” he asks.</p><p>Lucifer keeps his hands up, unsure if this will help or hurt his cause.</p><p>“I’m human! Father made me human!” Lucifer says.</p><p>Ezria lowers his fist, the darkness bleeding from his eyes. He shakes his head.</p><p>“You’re lying,” Ezria says.</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, “Oh, don’t insult me, Ezria. Look!” he says, pointing to the knot on his head, “If you don’t believe me, look!”</p><p>Ezria narrows his eyes and takes a good look at Lucifer.</p><p>“Why would he do that?” he says after some time.</p><p>Lucifer lowers his hands and sighs, his body falling flat to the ground now that he didn’t have to think about dying from an angel.</p><p>Father would<em> love</em> that.</p><p>“Because he’s a maniacal deity whose only hobby is to cause pain and chaos?” Lucifer says, “why else?”</p><p>Ezria shakes his head, “No … that’s. You must be mistaken.”</p><p>Lucifer chuckles and sits up. He points to the knot on his head again.</p><p>“What about this?” he asks.</p><p>He holds out his hand, the one with barely healing scraped knuckles, “Or this?” he asks.</p><p>“Or,” he says, moving to get up and groaning like the old man, “or that fact that it feels like I’ve been run over by a train.”</p><p>He stands straight and reaches a hand out to his back, “A very angry train.”</p><p>He pauses.</p><p>“Why<em> are</em> you angry?” he asks.</p><p>“I was told you were going back to the silver city without me,” Ezria says.</p><p>Lucifer huffs, “Like I’d ever want to go back to that place.”</p><p>“Then where’d you get this robe from?’ Ezria asks, pointing to the robe he is wearing.</p><p>Lucifer pauses, “Okay, I went back.”</p><p>Ezria steps forward, but Lucifer holds out his hands.</p><p>“Not to stay!” he says, trying to keep Ezria away, “I went for other reasons. Chloe’s ex is a …”</p><p>He pauses.</p><p>He is Chloe’s ex now.</p><p>“A what?’ Ezria asks.</p><p>Lucifer looks at Ezria and blinks, clearing that thought from his mind, “He is a messenger. Or was. I went back to speak to Iridius.”</p><p>“and?” Ezria asks.</p><p>“and I had a chat with Father instead.”</p><p>“What did he say? Did he say we could come back?” Ezria asks, hope behind his eyes.</p><p>Lucifer shuffles over to the steps, descends it slowly then moves to the bar. Here he grabs a dishtowel and begins to scoop ice into it.</p><p>“I didn’t ask about that,” Lucifer says, “and the truth is I don’t care to go back.”</p><p>“But the priest said-“</p><p>“The priest says a lot of things, “Lucifer replies, “he believes them to be true but … you know beliefs. They are like assholes. Everyone has them.”</p><p>He wraps the towel in ice then sets it to the small of his back. He hisses and then shuffles back over to the couch.</p><p>“Father made me human as some sort of punishment, and now I’m reaping the … <em>rewards </em>of mortality. Namely, the woman I love is shacking up with some boringly average man, I get injured at the simplest of things, and I can’t take the drink like I used to,” he says as he lowers himself onto the couch.</p><p>He sighs in comfort and relief as he sits.</p><p>“All in all, I think it’s a pretty shit deal,” he finishes.</p><p>Ezria shakes his head, “No. No, you can’t be. Show me your wings,” he says.</p><p>Lucifer sighs, “Didn’t you hear the part about me being human?”</p><p>Ezria approaches Lucifer, and immediately his hands are on his back, his nails digging in trying to forcibly pull them out.</p><p>Lucifer turns and slaps his hands away, “Ow! Stop it!” he says before grunting as Ezria steps away.</p><p>“I’m going to have a right bruise in the morning because of you,” he huffs.</p><p>“Enough of this,” Ezria says, turning to watch as Lucifer slowly sits back down.</p><p>“I’m done with this, “Ezria says, “It’s time for us to go home.”</p><p>Lucifer waves him off, “I’m human, Ezria. There’s only one way I’m going there, and I have no interest in dying anytime soon. At least not before I commit as many sins as possible. I’d rather be stuck in my own hell loop than deal with that tyrant for eternity.”</p><p>“Then, I’ll take you,” Ezria says.</p><p>Lucifer waves him off, “There’s no point. Just … let it go.”</p><p>Ezria walks over to Lucifer and grabs his arm, yanking him up.</p><p>“Ow! Ezria, honestly. You have to be careful with me,” Lucifer says.</p><p>“You’re coming with me,” he says.</p><p>Lucifer manages to yank his arm from Ezria.</p><p>“I told you no! If <em>you</em> want to go back so badly, then go. You don’t need me,” he huffs.</p><p>Ezria shakes his head, “We’re brothers. We go together. We’ve always gone together.”</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, “We’re not children anymore, Ezria.”</p><p>Ezria shakes his head and spreads his wings, unwilling to accept that.</p><p>“He made you human,” Ezria says, “that is unacceptable.”</p><p>He pulls Lucifer into a hug.</p><p>“Ezria, unhand me! I’m … I’m nude!”</p><p>Ezria holds on tightly to Lucifer, his wings lifting him off the ground. Ezria wraps his foot around Lucifer, and soon the penthouse suite disappears, and Lucifer feels a strange pull on his body. Not only his body, though,<em> everything</em>.</p><p>The unseen matter inside of him.</p><p>He feels the pull become stronger and stronger like a tether that holds him to earth is being stretched to its limit.</p><p>“Ezria!” he grunts through the pain.</p><p>The feeling grows until it hurts, and then, it snaps, and his body goes limp inside of Ezria’s hands.</p><p>When Ezria lands outside the gates to the silver city and sets his feet to the soft ground, he stares in awe at the sight before him. He lets go of Lucifer, and Lucifer’s body slumps to the ground like he has no bones.</p><p>Ezria doesn’t even notice. He is too busy staring at the gates to the Silver City. He stares at it with adoration, not having seen it in eons. He steps forward, past Lucifer’s slumped body.</p><p>Ezria smiles. It is sincere and relieving, and – one might imagine – the kind of smile he dawned before he was cast out. The gates to the silver city open and out steps Michael and four other angels.</p><p>Ezria sees him and grins widely.</p><p>“Brothers!” he says, opening his arms and running towards the group.</p><p>He gets about fifty yards closer before he is suddenly jettisoned back like he’s hit a live wire. Sparks fly off of him as he is catapulted away. He hits the ground and slides fully back, and a little bit past where Lucifer’s body lay. He twists and sits up, confusion behind his eyes. He looks up to see a massive golden web in front of him. It goes as far as the eye can see.</p><p>He stares at it, it is real. He thinks for a moment.</p><p>But then how…</p><p>He turns to Lucifer and finally realizes that Lucifer isn’t moving.</p><p>“Lucifer?” he asks.</p><p>He crawls over to him, his hands immediately going to Lucifer’s chest.</p><p>“Lucifer!” he says, unsure of what has happened.</p><p>“He’s mortal now,” a voice says.</p><p>Ezria turns to see God standing a few feet away from him.</p><p>“He isn’t meant to be here,” God says with a soft smile, “and yet … he is.”</p><p>Ezria stares at him, slowly standing.</p><p>“Father?” he asks, his voice light like he is seconds from crying.</p><p>He immediately closes the distance before wrapping his arms around God and holding him tight.</p><p>God stands there, unmoving.</p><p>Ezria pulls him closer, his eyes welling with tears.</p><p>“I …,” he begins to say, only to realize he doesn’t know what he wants to say.</p><p>He is overwhelmed.</p><p>“I-“ he begins, trying to speak the feeling in his chest.</p><p>Slowly, Ezria’s elation and joyfulness turns to confusion. He steps back from God, confusion behind his eyes.</p><p>“I-“ he says again, before gagging.</p><p>He pulls his hands up to his mouth, feeling unexpected wetness start to leak from it.</p><p>He wipes his hand across it and pulls it back to be met with a jet black ink.</p><p>He looks at it, then at God in confusion. God just stares at him.</p><p>“What-“ he begins to say before gagging again.</p><p>He stumbles back, something in him trying to move him away. Away from the wall, away from the angels, away from God.</p><p>God watches him, a strange smile on his face.</p><p>Ezria gags, then coughs, then gags again.</p><p>He stumbles away before collapsing and beginning to vomit a deep, jet black liquid. It happens in torrents like it comes from a place of infinite ink. The liquid pools and collects and begins to drain towards Lucifer’s body.</p><p>Eventually, the coughing stops, and Ezria collapses to the ground, struggling to catch his breath.</p><p>He gasps and turns his face towards the black liquid that rolls towards Lucifer.</p><p>Then, a small peak climbs from the liquid. Ezria pauses, confusion on his face.</p><p>He watches as the liquid spins up into a tip like the edge of a forming tornado.</p><p>The tip swirls and elongates before curving down and filtering into the onyx ring on Lucifer’s finger.</p><p>Ezria pauses his breathing and narrows his eyes.</p><p>His eyes turn to the black onyx ring that begins to spin like a whirlpool as the ink drains. Until suddenly, it stops, and all the ink is gone.</p><p>“Wha …” he says before turning to God.</p><p>“You’re still fighting,” God says, displeased.</p><p>“Fighting?” Ezria asks, shaking his head, unsure of what he is talking about.</p><p>God hums and nods.</p><p>“Did … did I kill him?” Ezria asks, turning to Lucifer.</p><p>God nods, “Yes,” he says, turning his glance to Lucifer’s body.</p><p>“He is not made for our world anymore,” God says, “and you’ve broken his tether.”</p><p>Ezria shakes his head, “Am I … am I becoming human too?” Ezria asks.</p><p>God starts to laughs and shakes his head.</p><p>Ezria narrows his eyes.</p><p>“No, that is a condition unique to your brother. As is yours.” God says.</p><p>“Condition?” Ezria asks.</p><p>Ezria slowly stands and turns to Lucifer’s body.</p><p>“What is … what is my condition?” Ezria asks, “Is that why you won’t let me back in?”</p><p>He immediately thinks of Calmos. Of what he and Calmos had done together. About the feeling of love in his chest. Could he leave that behind?</p><p>God shakes his head, “No. It is because you don’t belong here anymore, Ezria.”</p><p>“I did nothing wrong!” he says, shaking his head, “I … I did as you asked!”</p><p>God nods, “and you still are. But none of that will grant you access to the silver city anymore. This is no longer your home. Your brother knows that, why don’t you?”</p><p>God smiles and approaches Ezria. He sets a hand on him.</p><p>“I suppose it is not for you to know just yet,” God says.</p><p>Ezria just looks at God, confused.</p><p>“Tell me,” God asks, staring into Ezria’s eyes, “have you see in yet?”</p><p>“Seen wha-“ Ezria begins, his stomach starting to churn again.</p><p>He gags and brings a hand up to his lips.</p><p>Ezria shake’s God’s hand off of him and backs away, behind Lucifer’s body.</p><p>The churning settles down.</p><p>“Seen what?” Ezria asks again.</p><p>“The ark,” God says.</p><p>“The what?” Ezria asks.</p><p>“The ark, have you seen it?”</p><p>Ezria shakes his head, “Father what are you-“</p><p>Ezria pauses before a flit of recognition falls into his eyes.</p><p>“You mean the box?” he asks.</p><p>God smiles, “So you have,” he says, a pleased grin on his face.</p><p>“What, what is it?” Ezria asks.</p><p>God doesn’t respond. Ezria watches him, waiting for a response. Suddenly it dawns on him that he might be asking the wrong question.</p><p>“Who … is it?” Ezria asks.</p><p>God smiles.</p><p>Suddenly Lucifer’s body turns into a bright ball of light. Ezria turns his head, closing his eyes at its brightness. When the light disappears, he turns to see nothing there but a pile of ash.</p><p>Ezria stares at it, “Lucifer!” he huffs.</p><p>Ezria turns back to God.</p><p>God holds his hands out, a motion that oddly calms Ezria.</p><p>“I sent him back to earth. He’s been bothering the Sieves,” he says.</p><p>“Sieves?” Ezria asks, starting to get overloaded by all the words and information he is learning.</p><p>God smiles, “Another story for another time,” he chuckles.</p><p>God pauses, his eyes turning up as if he hears something.</p><p>Ezria shakes his head, “Why are you doing this to us? Have we not been punished enough?”</p><p>“You and your brother?” God says to clarify.</p><p>“All of us!” Ezria says, “Lucifer was the one who disobeyed you, who tried to rebel. I did only as you asked!”</p><p>God nods and turns to see Michael and the other angels in full alert. They stand with their swords at the ready.</p><p>God turns back to Ezria and looks him over.</p><p>“What I have given you,” he says, “I have not given anyone else.”</p><p>“Given me?” he asks, shaking his head, “I have been an obedient son, and what reward have I been given for that? To be damned for eternity? To have my own flesh and blood turn against me? Left to rot with your …<em>scraps</em> and broken projects? To toil in heat and misery for what? For doing as you asked?”</p><p>“Sometimes, even I am shocked at how shallow you and your brother can be,” God says, his eyebrows furrowed.</p><p>“I want to come home!” Ezria yells, his words pleading, but his voice demanding.</p><p>“I’ve had enough of hell and demons and-“</p><p>“What about Calmos?” God asks.</p><p>Ezria pauses. He knew about Calmos? Of course, he knows about Calmos, he’s God.</p><p>“I …” Ezria begins to say, unsure of what to say to that.</p><p>“I think, with a little more time, you will see things my way,” God says, nodding to Ezria, “Be patient, my child.”</p><p>There is such finality to his words that Ezria gets the feeling this conversation is over.</p><p>“Wait!” Ezria says, but by then it’s too late.</p><p>God disappears, leaving him standing there with a pile of ash, and Michael and his guards.</p><p>Ezria looks around, unsure of what to do.</p><p>“I have been patient enough!” Ezria yells, hurt, and anger behind his words, “It is time, father!”</p><p>He gets no response, so he turns his attention to Michael and the angels who wait at the front gate.</p><p>“Brother,” Ezria says, shaking his head “Can you not talk some-“</p><p>“Go home,” Michael interrupts.</p><p>Ezria shakes his head, “This is my home.”</p><p>“Not anymore.”</p><p>Ezria tenses his jaw and narrows his eyes. He looks over the still glowing dome in front of him as if trying to figure out how to break it.</p><p>--- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---</p><p>Inside her home, Chloe celebrates her birthday at the dining table. Sitting around it is Dan and his girlfriend, Jillian. Jack and Trixie sit opposite of them, with Chloe at the head of the table.</p><p>“So, what did you wish for?” Dan asks, his arm wrapped around the woman next to him.</p><p>Chloe smiles and turns to the slice of cake on her plate.</p><p>She wished for him, for it all to be okay, and she supposes - in some sense - she got what she wanted. He had come back, but … it hadn’t been how she had imagined.</p><p>“You know I can tell you that or it won’t come true,” she says.</p><p>“Can I have another slice?” Trixie says, leaning forward onto the table with dough eyes.</p><p>Chloe smiles, “I don’t know Monkey…,” she says playfully.</p><p>“Please?” she begs, “It’s your birthday! I’m celebrating.”</p><p>Chloe laughs, “Is that so?”</p><p>Trixie nods exuberantly.</p><p>Chloe sighs and sits back, “Okay, just one more. But get Jack to cut it for you, okay?”</p><p>Jack smiles and stands up before reaching for the knife.</p><p>“We’ll have to take it on the road,” Dan says, turning to the woman,” it’s getting late.</p><p>Chloe nods and smiles, “Thanks for coming by,” she says.</p><p>“Go get your stuff, baby,” Dan tells Trixie as he stands.</p><p>She nods before getting up and running down the hall to her room.</p><p>“God, she’s getting tall,” Jillian says.</p><p>Dan scoffs, “You’re telling me. I’m terrified.”</p><p>“Oh stop,” Chloe says, “She’s a good kid. She’s not going to suddenly go crazy when she hits puberty.”</p><p>Everyone looks at Chloe like she has no idea what she is talking about.</p><p>“What?” she says, turning to Jack, who is also silent.</p><p>“Right? Back me up here,” Chloe says.</p><p>Jack shakes his head, “I ... puberty is a big hormonal and emotional change,” he shrugs.</p><p>“It changes you,” Jillian agrees.</p><p>“Let’s not forget she’s a girl too, that brings up its own concerns,” Jack says.</p><p>“I’m terrified,” Dan says before Jillian starts to rub his back, a smile on her face.</p><p>“Trixie’s a smart girl, she’s not going to get into trouble like we did when we were her age,” Jillian says.</p><p>“It’s not her I’m worried about, it’s those handsy preteen boys,” he grunts.</p><p>Jillian chuckles as Jack reaches out to begin cutting a slice of cake for Trixie.</p><p>“I’ll get you some foil,” Dan says to Jack.</p><p>Jack nods.</p><p>“The food was so good,” Jillian says, leaning into Chloe, “You’ll have to give me the recipe.”</p><p>Chloe smiles and nods.</p><p>“That was all Jack’s doing. He’s the chef around here,” she responds as Dan comes back into the room.</p><p>“Yeah, Chloe is the type to burn toast,” Dan says, laughing.</p><p>“Oh, <em>whatever</em>,” she says, rolling her eyes with a grin.</p><p>Dan hands the foil to Jack. Jack takes it and plops a<em> thick</em> piece of cake onto it before setting the knife down and carefully wrapping it.</p><p>Chloe eyes it, then looks at Jack but doesn’t say anything.</p><p>“So, it’s official. Jillian and I are going to go on one of those Caribbean cruises next month,” Dan says, “We paid for it this morning.”</p><p>“That sounds fun,” Chloe says, turning her eyes to Dan, “but I thought you hated cruises.”</p><p>Dan laughs.</p><p>“I do,” he says.</p><p>“I convinced him,” Jillian says, laughing.</p><p>Dan nods, “That she did.”</p><p>Trixie comes back with a full backpack on her back and a small tablet case in her hands.</p><p>Dan turns to her.</p><p>“You ready?” he asks.</p><p>She nods and walks towards the door to slip on her shoes.</p><p>“Thank you for taking her tonight,” Chloe says, standing from her seat and wrapping her arms around Dan.</p><p>Dan smiles, “No problem. You know I don’t mind. Anything for the birthday girl.”</p><p>Chloe smiles warmly at him.</p><p>Jillian stands and smiles, “Thanks for inviting me,” she says.</p><p>“Of course,” Chloe says, standing and wrapping her arms around Jillian.</p><p>Dan reaches out and shakes Jack’s hands.</p><p>Trixie slips her shoes on and walks towards the door as Dan grabs his coat off the hook nearby.</p><p>“Call me when you get to your place, okay?” Chloe says.</p><p>Dan turns to her and laughs, “I’ll text you. I have a feeling you’ll be busy.”</p><p>Chloe eyes him telling him to shut up, and he laughs.</p><p>Dan moves to drape a jacket over his girlfriend.</p><p>“Alright, time to go,” he says, turning and ushering Trixie and Jillian out the door.</p><p>Chloe nods, and Dan shuts the door.</p><p>As the door closes, Jack leans in to kiss her.</p><p>“I’ll get us some wine,” he says, turning and heading back to the kitchen.</p><p>She nods and smiles before turning to the table and starting to clean it up. He turns and sees it before running out of the kitchen.</p><p>“Ah, Ah!” he says, playfully pulling her away from the table.</p><p>“The food needs to-“</p><p>“It’s your birthday. You don’t lift a finger,” he says, ushering her over to a nearby couch and sitting her down.</p><p>“Sit,” he says.</p><p>She smiles and rolls her eyes, “Fine.”</p><p>He turns and heads into the kitchen and continues to uncork a new bottle of wine. Chloe watches him struggle, a soft smile on her face. She stands and walks into the kitchen.</p><p>She approaches him from behind and wraps her arms around him. He turns his head to her.</p><p>“Almost there,” he says.</p><p>She smiles and reaches out to stop him.</p><p>“Hey!” he says playfully.</p><p>He turns to her to see her staring at him with a soft smile.</p><p>“Let’s skip the wine,” she says, pulling his hand off the bottle and walking him out of the kitchen towards her bedroom.</p><p>He smiles, “Oh,” he says,” you want to unwrap your gift?”</p><p>She nods and leads him to the bedroom.</p><p>Moments later, they are in her bedroom. She reaches up and slips the sweater off her body before pulling him closer, their lips locked.</p><p>He hums into the kiss before they fall onto the bed, him on top of her.</p><p>His mouth starts to wander until he finds himself at her neck.</p><p>“Happy Birthday to me,” she says with a grin.</p><p>He chuckles warmly before pulling away.</p><p>“You’ve been frisky all day, must be <em>my</em> birthday,” he coos.</p><p>She smiles widely at him.</p><p>“What do you want first birthday girl?” he asks.</p><p>She looks at him, staring into his eyes as he waits for his answer.</p><p><em>Lucifer would know</em>, an intrusive thought in her mind says. She knocks it away and forces a smile on her face before reaching up and wrapping her arms around his neck.</p><p>“Just you,” she says softly.</p><p>He smiles, kisses her, then softly begins to kiss his way down her body, lifting the thin tank top she is wearing to plant his lips on her abdomen.</p><p>He then unbuttons her pants and slides them off her body.</p><p>He doesn’t say anything, mo warm quip or tantalizingly detailed reply.</p><p>He then wraps his fingers around her waistband and pulls her underwear down.</p><p>Here, he makes no theatrical comment about what he sees, he only gets straight to business. Instantly his lips lock onto her pussy, and she hums, pleased.</p><p>His tongue writes his name in a way that is more frustrating than delightful. It’s kind of annoying how bad he is at this, but at least he is trying, Chloe, thinks.</p><p>He had other charms and pros that far outweigh him being bad at this. With a little more practice, she could train him right.</p><p>Though they’ve been dating for a few months now and he didn’t seem to take the hint.</p><p>Still, <em>he </em>was enjoying this. She supposes that it was worth <em>something.</em></p><p>He groans, and she smiles to herself.</p><p>She lays back, not finding the stimulation to be too boring, but not too exciting either. It’s in the middle, where she is happy to have someone there, but she could think of twenty other things that would be better.</p><p>He groans again, and she turns her head to him. His eyes are closed like he is concentrating <em>really</em> hard. He brings his hand up and starts to fumble with her clit as his tongue does a deep dive into her.</p><p>It’s the only thing that gets a response from her as she begins to roll her hips, and a soft hum escapes her lips.</p><p>She closes her eyes, starting to get into it now. But just as quickly as it begins, it is over. He pulls away from her and stands up, unbuckling his pants. Her eyes turn up to him as he eagerly slips out of his pants and underwear. He grabs hold of his erection as he kicks his pants to the side.</p><p>Chloe reaches up and slides her top off, leaving her just in her bra. She then slides up further on the bed as Jack crawls over onto her, and they kiss again.</p><p>He pulls away from her before leaning over to her bedside table and opening the drawer. Here he pulls out a condom.</p><p>She watches him, a smile on her face.</p><p>“Is this what you wished for?” he asks as he opens the package.</p><p>She looks down at him and smiles.</p><p>“I’m not going to tell you that,” she says.</p><p>He slips the condom on before leaning over her and positioning himself between her legs.</p><p>“It’s already coming true, though,” he says as he slowly slides himself into her, his jaw slacking with each new inch he goes in.</p><p>She closes her eyes, feeling him inside of her. He begins to thrust, his breath getting heavy very quickly as each pump becomes easier. She moans, her body finally getting into it. She wraps her legs around his body and holds him close.</p><p>“You like that?” he asks, his voice heavy in her ear.</p><p>She nods.</p><p>“You like this cock for your birthday?” he asks again.</p><p>She reaches up and puts a hand over his mouth to keep him quiet.</p><p>He chuckles and bites her fingers as he thrusts into her.</p><p>She moans again.</p><p>“Yes,” she hisses as she removes her hand, her body getting wetter.</p><p>“<em>God</em>, you’re so tight,” he says.</p><p>She furrows her eyebrows and puts a hand over his mouth again.</p><p>“Don’t say that,” she says.</p><p>He chuckles and turns his head, pulling it away from her hand.</p><p>“What, that you’re tight? I can’t help it if you’re tight, babe,” he says.</p><p>She shakes her head.</p><p>“No, don’t say that name,” she says as he continues to thrust into her, his speed picking up.</p><p>He chuckles before leaning back and watching himself disappear into her.</p><p>He reaches out and grabs her hips before holding it into place as he picks up speed. She closes her eyes, trying to get back into it.</p><p>He groans, picks up speed, then suddenly stops. He hisses, his thrusting now sporadic.</p><p>She opens her eyes and is met with the face of a man mid climax. She stares at him, suddenly so <em>acutely</em> aware of the fact that they had only been going at it for a few minutes. Her eyes fall, and she wonders why she wasn’t aware of that fact before?</p><p>They had been dating for a few months and have been having sex for almost as long. Why had she just <em>now</em> noticed the sex was so … <em>underwhelming</em>?</p><p>Jack slowly pulls out of her and collapses onto the bed next to her.</p><p>“I swear,” he says, his breath heavy, “You’ve been awfully frisky all day.”</p><p>He pauses then turns to her, “You’re not going to start your period soon, are you?”</p><p>She furrows her eyebrows and looks at him as if to suggest asking him why the hell he would say that.</p><p>He sees the look in her eyes and backtracks.</p><p>“You know, because women tend to be more sexual days before their period. The whole imperative to reproduce,” he says.</p><p>She just stares at him. His excuse to get out of her death stare not any better. Sometimes dating a doctor was frustrating.</p><p>He is about to say something when his phone begins to buzz. He sits up and takes a look before peeling himself off the bed and walking to his phone.</p><p>Chloe sighs and lays back down, her eyes going to the ceiling. She is deeply unsatisfied.</p><p>“Ugh, one of the night doctors called out. I got to go in,” he says.</p><p>Chloe sits up and shakes her head, “You said you were off.”</p><p>He turns to the bathroom as he slides the condom off.</p><p>“I am, but … you know how it goes. I’m never <em>really </em>off duty.”</p><p>Chloe shakes her head and sits up, “No, you said you would be off tonight, and we would have the whole night to ourselves? That’s why I had Dan take Trixie. Can’t they get someone else?”</p><p>He wipes himself down with a rag before turning and moving to the pile of clothing on the floor. One by one, he slips on his underwear, pants, and shirt.</p><p>“Babe, I’m sorry. I told them, but …what do you want me to do? Tell all those sick patients, sorry, no doctor tonight. My girlfriend wants to have sex all night.”</p><p>Chloe groans, “That’s not what I meant,” she says.</p><p>He leans over the bed and kisses her on the cheek.</p><p>“I’ll stop by in the morning, and we can have a morning session, then okay?”</p><p>Chloe sighs and watches him as he walks away.</p><p>“I promise!” he says, leaving the room.</p><p>She rolls her eyes and slides off the bed before grabbing a nearby robe. She follows him as he walks down the hallway and back into the kitchen.</p><p>“At least we got one in, right?” he asks, “That should tie you over for the night.”</p><p>He moves to his shoes and slides his feet into them. He pauses before turning to her, a look of worry in his eyes.</p><p>“You did cum, right?” he asks.</p><p>She pauses, her eyes wide as he looks at her. He seems to genuinely want to know, like he <em>genuinely</em> cares.</p><p>She smiles and approaches him before wrapping her arms around his neck.</p><p>He looks at her with that look in his eyes. He needed to know.</p><p>“Yes,” she lies with a smile, “Of course.”</p><p>He smiles and leans in to kiss her. It’s passionate and deep, and she responds in favor. Only she wants more. He pulls away from her and turns to the door.</p><p>“I’ll call you when I get off,” he says.</p><p>He opens the door and shuts it behind him.</p><p>She sighs exasperated.</p><p>She remembers why she invested in a vibrator now.</p><p>She turns and is about to head to the kitchen for wine when her eyes fall on all the food on the table. She lets go of a large exasperated sigh before shaking her head.</p><p>“Happy Birthday to me,” she says, annoyed.</p><p>When she is done cleaning up the remnants of her birthday celebration, she shuffles into her bedroom and discards the robe. She approaches her dresser and slides the drawer open before digging through her underwear for the special box in the back.</p><p>When she finds it, she pulls it out and walks into the bathroom with it. She sets the box on the counter and opens it to find a pink vibrator lying on top of a clean washcloth. She sighs and pushes a strand of hair behind her ear. Her eyes come up to see herself in the mirror as she brings a hand up and reaches for it.</p><p>Her eyes move down to the bullet necklace around her neck.</p><p>She pauses.</p><p>She had wished for him. She had wished for his return, but it was not like it should be. She pauses moving for the vibrator and, instead, brings a hand up to fumble with the bullet.</p><p>She sighs and grunts before reaching over and closing the box. She huffs all the way back to her room, where she puts the box back in its place. She huffs all the way through putting on her clothes, despite knowing she could stop at any time.</p><p>She is annoyed at herself, that even after all he said to her, she still wanted to see him on her birthday. To try and make it right. She hadn't only lost a lover, she lost her best friend, and if she couldn’t get one back, perhaps she could get the other.</p><p>Still, she shouldn’t be thinking about <em>him </em>on her birthday.</p><p>She huffs through grabbing her phone and keys.</p><p>She huffs all the way to the car.</p><p>--- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---</p><p>In his penthouse, Lucifer walks out of his closet in the middle of fixing his cuffs. The knot on his head is gone, as is the bandage around his hand.</p><p>His body looks completely new, as it should.</p><p><em>It is a good thing Ezria had accosted him while he was naked,</em> he thinks. Otherwise, he would have lost a good suit.</p><p>He makes no note of the fact that he still dons his onyx ring, despite having been reborn in a pit of molten fire.</p><p>He descends the steps into his living room before he sees a familiar figure sitting on his couch.</p><p>“If you like it that much, I could contact the designer and have them make one for you,” Lucifer says.</p><p>In the chair, God – or the ethereal form of him – sits.</p><p>Or, at least it appears as though he is sitting. He most likely just hovers, there being nobody to speak of.</p><p>God laughs and nods, “I’m not here to experience your chair, Lucifer. I’m here to watch. To observe.”</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, “Well, as much as I enjoy a good voyeuristic act, I don’t believe I’d like my father to be a part of that.”</p><p>God smiles and nods, observing.</p><p>“You understand that being all-knowing makes every act you do voyeuristic by nature, correct?” God asks.</p><p>Lucifer raises his lip in disgust.</p><p>He walks towards the bar to pour himself a glass of water.</p><p>He supposes that if he had to have constant mental images of his offspring having wildly debaucherous sex, he too would be driven mad.</p><p>God chuckles.</p><p>Lucifer turns to him, “Stop that,” he says.</p><p>God hums.</p><p>“So, what do you want this time?” Lucifer asks, “Come to brag again about killing the firstborns in Egypt? Perhaps you’d like run by me an idea to create yet another river of blood?”</p><p>God shakes his head, “I told you. I am here to observe.”</p><p>Lucifer scoffs.</p><p>“I don’t want to be observed, Father. I want to be left alone,” Lucifer says.</p><p>His eyes briefly go over to the whiskey bottle before they turn away from it. He’s had enough liquor for one day, he thinks.</p><p>“I don’t believe you do,” God replies.</p><p>“Since when do you care what I want?” Lucifer says, turning to God.</p><p>That doesn’t receive a reply, just a stare.</p><p>Lucifer shakes his head and turns back to the bar.</p><p>He thinks of her again.</p><p>How he wanted her more than anything, he could think of. He can’t imagine, <em>won’t</em> imagine, what it would be like to have another woman in a place she should be.</p><p>Yet … she was right. Chloe was always right. Even when he desperately wanted her to be wrong.</p><p>She had put up with enough of his celestial nonsense, and now she had a chance for a normal life - the kind she had before she met him.</p><p>It would be <em>malicious</em> to seek to uproot that for his own wants and desires.</p><p>He turns to look at God while drinking his water. They stare at one another. Lucifer’s mind flips from Chloe to his Father, and his eyes narrow.</p><p>He stares, mostly trying to figure out what God is doing there.</p><p>God’s gaze seems statistical, like he is verifying the data in a bar graph, or reading a measurement in a lab.</p><p>It is sterile and tense.</p><p>Like he is here not to be a bother, but as an owner of a factory might watch the first of a product roll off the assembly line- might check it to make sure it is what they want.</p><p>Lucifer narrows his eyes and turns to set the glass down.</p><p>“You’re here to gloat, aren’t you?” he asks, an annoyance in his voice.</p><p>Silence.</p><p>“Well?” Lucifer says when he gets no response.</p><p>He stands, his arms by his side as if bracing himself.</p><p>“Go on. Do it. Say it. Tell me it’s my fault,” Lucifer says.</p><p>“Do you truly believe that?” God asks.</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, anger rising in him again.</p><p>“It is, isn’t it? Is this the big lesson then? The thing you wanted me to learn? That I’m to blame for all this? That it’s my fault?”</p><p>God stands, or at least what can be perceived as standing.</p><p>Lucifer’s bottom lip begins to quiver.</p><p>“Go on then! Say it!” he says.</p><p>God just looks at him, that same observational look. Like he stares blankly into a sky of stars.</p><p>“For <em>fucks sake</em>, just say it already!” he screams, “tell me she’s better off without me!”</p><p>God narrows his eyes, “Do you want the truth? Or would you, like your brother, prefer comfort?”</p><p>“Say it!” Lucifer screams, his voice cracking, “Tell me it’s my fault she is gone. Get it over with!”</p><p>There is a silence between them, and God furrows his eyebrows in pity.</p><p>“Love is a battle worth losing,” God says.</p><p>Lucifer scoffs and turns to grab his water.</p><p>“Go away,” he says, a sadness behind his voice.</p><p>He wanted to feel in peace.</p><p>“Especially if it means we win the war,” God says.</p><p>Lucifer chuckles, unbelieving.</p><p>He turns to God.</p><p>“Is that what this is all about?” he asks, “Is taking her from me some big plan of yours to keep me so broken I won’t fight? When will you get it through your head that I don’t <em>want </em>a spot in the silver city!”</p><p>God turns his eyes towards the piano.</p><p>“Then what do you want?” God asks, “what is the one thing you desire most in this world?”</p><p>He pauses. It used to be freedom, the ability to choose.</p><p>To have control over his own destiny.</p><p>But now … now he just wanted her.</p><p>Or, more so, he wanted her to be happy.</p><p>His eyes turning to a patient and waiting God.</p><p>Lucifer grunts, deeply annoyed that God is still there.</p><p>Lucifer watches God for a moment. God doesn’t say anything. He just stares forward as if waiting. Lucifer lowers his glass, not liking this. Whatever this is, it can’t be good.</p><p>Lucifer moves and sits on a stool. He stares forward, God and Lucifer watching each other like owls caught in each other’s knowing gaze.</p><p>Suddenly Lucifer gets the feeling that he can speak, that he <em>should </em>speak. He feels compelled to.</p><p>He feels compelled to just … let it all out on the table.</p><p>His eyes start to tear up, and he shakes his head.</p><p>“I would do anything for her,” he says.</p><p>God steps forward, next to the piano.</p><p>“I would give up everything for her,” he says again, “I <em>have</em> given up everything for her and … she doesn’t want me.”</p><p>God just stares at Lucifer. Lucifer looks sadly to the ground, tears welling in his eyes.</p><p>“But I would feel this a thousand times over if it meant she could be happy,” he says, nodding, “truly happy.”</p><p>“Tell me she’ll be happy?” he pleads, as he looks up to God.</p><p>“Would you do as I asked?” God says.</p><p>Lucifer pauses and furrows his eyebrows. He scoffs and raises the water to his lips. He takes a lip, disgust in his stance. He wants to yell and scream and tell God what an absolute <em>twat</em> he is.</p><p>He couldn’t use Amenadiel or Uriel. Not even giving him his wings back did the trick.</p><p>So he had to use Chloe. <em>His last hurrah</em>, <em>so to speak,</em> he thinks.</p><p>He shakes his head, a few choice words forming on the back of his tongue, ready to fall out and tell it like it is.</p><p>He should speak, should call God every name in the book, but he doesn’t.</p><p>His unamused grin of annoyance falls flat, and it seems as though he is legitimately thinking about it. He pauses.</p><p>His eyes snap to God, and he furrows his eyebrows.</p><p>“Can you give her a normal life? A normal, happy, and <em>long </em>life?”</p><p>“Do you want that for her?” God asks.</p><p>Lucifer nods.</p><p>“Even if it’s with Jack?” he asks.</p><p>Lucifer nods, “Yes,” he says.</p><p>God smiles and nods.</p><p>“Very well,” he says.</p><p>They sit in silence for a moment Lucifer looks down to the water clutched in his hand.</p><p>A deal with God. A deal he had no interest in breaking or finding a loophole in. He was tired.</p><p>It could be because of his new mortal body, or simply, he was just exhausted from running.</p><p>He had spent every moment since the dawn of time running away from Father only to find he was on a treadmill, perpetually running in place.</p><p><em>It was time,</em> he thinks.</p><p>There is nothing God could do that would be worst than what he has done.</p><p>“What do you want in return?” Lucifer asks, his eyes turning up to God.</p><p>As if he didn’t already know what this was about. That he should return to Hell as King and rule without so much of a peep. Without complaint or trips to earth. Forever locked in Hell.</p><p>God smiles and leans off the piano before turning and moving back to the chair. He sits or at least performs something that seems like sitting.</p><p>“A song,” he says, “on your piano. You always had a talent for music. I miss hearing it.”</p><p>Lucifer turns his eyes to his piano.</p><p>“A song?” he asks, unsure if he heard that correctly.</p><p>God nods.</p><p>“Okay,” he says, unsure as he sets the glass on the counter.</p><p>He moves to his piano and pulls out the bench. Here he sits before raising the key cover.</p><p>“Any requests?” he asks.</p><p>God smiles and shakes his head, “Play whatever your heart tells you to play,” he says.</p><p>Lucifer shakes his head, “Cryptic, as always. Good to see nothing has changed,” he says.</p><p>Lucifer sets his fingers on the keys and begins to play. It’s an uninterested and random tune at first. Just his fingers making sound with the keys. Just his fingers stringing together notes as if waiting for them to stumble onto something.</p><p>Suddenly the notes stop, and a song comes to his head.</p><p>He begins to play again, the notes this time patterns and chords that sound familiar.</p><p>He plays for a few moments before parting his lips and starting to sing.</p><p><em> “I heard there was a secret chord that David played, and it pleased the lord</em>,” he begins to sing, his voice calm and collected.</p><p>He closes his eyes, allowing the music to fill his soul.</p><p><em>“But you don’t really care for music, do you?”</em> he says, his eyes opening as they drift upward to the figure sitting in the chair in front of him.</p><p>His eyes continue to watch God as he sings, his hands moving on their own accord- familiar with the keys and their position.</p><p>As he normally does, he was performing, but the performance isn’t grand and meant for a crowd. Instead, his audience is singular, and its meaning simple.</p><p>He had made a deal with God.</p><p>Her happiness in exchange for a song.</p><p>On the surface, it was a song, but they both understood the unspoken agreement. It didn’t need to be spelled out for him to understand the clause.</p><p>She would be happy and live a long life in exchange for his word.</p><p>In exchange for his obedience.</p><p>In exchange for his submission.</p><p>A promise he would keep.</p><p><em> “Hallelujah,”</em> he sings, <em>“Hallelujah …”</em></p><p>---</p><p>Downstairs, Chloe approaches the locked LUX doors and pulls out her keyring. Here she slides in the key to LUX's front door and walks in like she had done many times before.</p><p>Like she had done when it was just her and Amenadiel trying to keep LUX afloat until Lucifer had come back.</p><p>She had done it nearly twice a week for two years to the point that it felt like coming home. Except this time, she was coming for a different reason.</p><p>Despite just wanting to talk to him, just wanting to make sure things were okay, there was a nervousness in her like she was meeting a lover under cover of darkness. She supposes at one point he was a lover, but now …</p><p>Now he was just a man, in every sense of the word, and he was hurting. She wanted to be able to go back to before this whole thing happened.</p><p>Before she had seen his face, before she had felt his lips or his body.</p><p>Before she had his heart.</p><p>When they were just partners,<em> friends</em>.</p><p>When she could trust him to have her best interest in mind.</p><p>She approaches the elevator door and presses it. She waits there as the elevator whirrs to life and descends.</p><p>She straightens her back, unable to shake the feeling she was doing something wrong.</p><p><em>There’s nothing wrong with visiting a friend on her birthday</em>, she tells herself.</p><p>--</p><p>Up in his penthouse, Lucifer continues to play the song, a sadness developing in his voice.</p><p><em>“Hallelujah</em>,” he sings, “<em>Hallelujah</em>. Hallelujah. <em>Halle-lu-u-u-u-u-u- jah.“</em></p><p>Even the way he hits the notes sounds sad—the music reverberating soft and steady.</p><p><em>“But baby I’ve been here before, I’ve seen this room, and I’ve walked this floor. You know, I used to live alone before I knew ya,” </em>he sings.</p><p>He is no longer focused on the room around him. Instead, his eyes are closed, and he pours his soul into the words. They strike a completely different chord than they used to. One that is beautiful yet sad.</p><p>The elevator doors behind him open, and Chloe, prim and proper as she tries to maintain some air of stability, stops in her tracks as she sees - and hears - him playing.</p><p>“<em>and love is not a victory march, it’s a cold, and it’s a broken Hallelujah</em>,” he says, his voice cracking as he feels those words.</p><p>Slowly she walks out of the elevator, her arms crossed as she listens to him play. She can hear it in his voice, the sadness and defeat. She furrows her eyebrows, the sadness infectious.</p><p>The music cuts down to the core of him, and he no longer fights it. He lets it wash over him as he softly continues singing.</p><p><em>“Hallelujah,”</em> he sings, the shakiness in his voice,<em> “Hallelujah..”</em></p><p>Behind him, Chloe steps further, and the doors start to close.</p><p><em>“Hallelujah,”</em> he sings<em>, “Hallel-u-u-u-”</em></p><p>The elevator doors shut and cut through the sound of him singing. He pauses playing the piano, the sharp end to the music only enforcing the silence in the rest of his penthouse.</p><p>Lucifer turns around, a shock in his red and teary eyes.</p><p>Chloe looks at him, her eyebrows furrowed. She bites her lip, trying to keep that feeling in her down itself. She wasn’t here to bring up the past.</p><p>He pauses, turns back to his piano as his hands slip from the keys.</p><p>His eyes turn to the chair that is now empty. He shakes his head and looks up again to the sky, as the sadness behinds his eyes slips into pain. As if he believed he was being tortured.</p><p>But he had given his word.</p><p>And what is a promise without the temptation to break it?</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Two more chapters to go! oh boyyyyy!</p><p>Follow me on tumblr for updates on this fic and others! hrfiction.tumblr.com</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Sacrifice</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Lucifer and Chloe seek closure the only way they know how, Ella and Abel take a new step in their relationship, Amenadiel makes a horrifying discovery, Calmos meets his mother,<br/>Jeremy makes a grave mistake, Natalie and Maze have a much needed – and long overdue- conversation, and Ezria finds out what is in the cube.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Just a warning, there is a scene that graphically depicts violence. You have been forwarned.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>--- --- ---- ---- --- ---- -</strong>
</p><p>In his penthouse, Lucifer sits at his piano. He stares up to the sky, a pained expression on his face that falls into resignation. He gently closes the lid on his piano before turning to Chloe, the wood on his bench creaking beneath the shifting weight.</p><p>“Detective,” he says, his tone not sweet or sing-songy like it usually is.</p><p>Instead, it is curt and devoid of any feeling, or at least he wants it to be.</p><p>She steps forward towards the bar top.</p><p>“Are you practicing?” she asks, feeling him out.</p><p>He reaches up and closes the lid of his piano before sliding off the chair and standing.</p><p>“No, I was giving a private concert,” he says.</p><p>She nods and looks around, a strange electricity between them. She wonders if he brought another woman back to his penthouse. If he had disturbed him in the middle of giving his love to someone else.</p><p>“To who?” she asks.</p><p>“My Father.”</p><p>She nods, relieved but not missing the brevity of his language. It was unlike him.</p><p>“I hadn’t expected to see you,” he says, “Otherwise, I would have prepared.”</p><p>“I … I can leave if you don’t want me here,” she says.</p><p>He scoffs. As if it weren’t obvious that he wanted her here. He had never desired a single being in creation more than her.</p><p>He hadn’t known he did, but the second he figured it out, it was all he could ever think about. She should know that. She should know the only reason he stayed so long was for her.</p><p>But it wasn’t her fault. She was a mortal, and in the blink of an eye she would disappear like them all. It wasn’t fair to blame her for her condition.</p><p>It doesn’t make it hurt any less, though.</p><p>“Nonsense,” he says, “You haven’t even discussed why you are here.”</p><p>She nods.</p><p>“I uhm… I thought maybe we could try this again. The whole us talking thing.”</p><p>He moves to the bar and grabs his drink.</p><p>“I’m sorry I was unable to make it to your birthday bash,” he says before taking a gulp, “I was accosted before I could leave.”</p><p><br/>“You know how that goes,” he says, turning to her, “a little bit of celestial kidnapping.”</p><p>She smiles a little, “You remembered,” she says.</p><p>He sees the way she is smiling at him. It kills him inside just a little bit more.</p><p>“Ameandiel informed me, yes,” he says, turning back to the decanter and pouring more water into his glass.</p><p>She approaches the bar, a little less put off by his odd behavior.</p><p>“I … don’t have a gift for you,” he says.</p><p>She shakes her head, “it’s okay. I don’t need one.”</p><p>She pulls up a seat to the bar.</p><p>He nods.</p><p>They sit in awkward silence for a few moments.</p><p>“Still, I …well, it’s unlike me to show up empty-handed,” he says.</p><p>His eye moves down to his ring. It was the only thing, besides his wings that his father had given him.</p><p>He had hung onto it for so long.</p><p>He sets the glass down and slides the ring off his finger.</p><p>“Here,” he says, setting it down in front of her.</p><p>She looks at it the ring then looks at him.</p><p>“What are you doing?”</p><p>“It’s a short notice gift, Detective. Something meaningless on the whole but sentimental.”</p><p>Chloe shakes her head, “I can’t take your ring, Lucifer.”</p><p>“Why not?”</p><p>“Because you don’t just … you don’t just give another man’s girlfriend a ring.”</p><p>Lucifer pauses, the sting behind that going straight to his chest.</p><p><em>Another man’s girlfriend.</em> This whole time he had still thought of Chloe’s as his, as being lent to Jack.</p><p>But yet again, she never fails to be right.</p><p>“I see,” he says, “I … well, my apologies. It was not my intention to cast doubt into your relationship,””</p><p>He grabs the rings and slides it back onto his finger. It barely goes back on, like in the amount of time he had it off, his fingers had swollen.</p><p>“What the devil,” he says.</p><p>“What?” Chloe asks.</p><p>He turns to her, “Damn thing suddenly feels tight,” he says.</p><p>“Maybe you’re retaining water,” she says.</p><p>“I beg your pardon?” he says offended, “retaining - I’m not a <em>sponge</em> Detective.”</p><p>She rolls her eyes and starts to chuckle.</p><p>He looks at her, not understanding why she is laughing.</p><p>“What is so funny?” he asks.</p><p>She shakes her head, “Nothing,” she says, a large grin on her face, “Nothing I just … I just forgot how ridiculous you were.”</p><p>She smiles before she bursts into laughter again, this time snorting.</p><p>He scoffs, “Yes. Laugh it up. I’m only experiencing a cosmic amount of grief and apparently swollen fingers,” he says.</p><p>“Sorry,” she says, shaking her head, “Not … not funny.”</p><p>He grunts and moves behind his bar.</p><p><em>Perhaps one drink won’t kill him,</em> he thinks.</p><p>He takes a bottle of whiskey down the bar. His eyes move up to her.</p><p>She is smiling and looking at him, relaxed and lovely. He turns his eyes away, trying to hold back the intense sorrow that bubbles in his chest.</p><p>“I … am I allowed to ask another man’s girlfriend if she wants a drink?” he says, turning to the bar and approaching it. He sets an empty glass on the top and begins to pour a finger of whiskey.</p><p>She rolls her eyes and nods, “Yes, Lucifer.”</p><p>“Is that a yes to-“ he begins before she grabs the drink from his hand.</p><p>He hums.</p><p>“Right,” he says.</p><p>He reaches down and selects another clean glass from behind the bar.</p><p>He pours a finger and a half for himself and sets the bottle down.</p><p>They sit in silence, nursing their respective drinks.</p><p>“I ... I’m sorry for what I said,” she says.</p><p>He nods, “Yes …I believe we both said some unkind things.”</p><p>She shakes her head, “I Just … it’s a lot Lucifer. The last two years have been calm and boring and … peaceful.”</p><p>He nods.</p><p>Chloe stares at herself in the mirror from across the bar, “Empty,” she says.</p><p>Lucifer looks up to her, his eyebrows furrowed.</p><p>“Are you happy?” he asks.</p><p>She shakes her head, “I … I don’t know. Sometimes. Sometimes I look at the life I’ve made for myself, with Trixie and with Jack, and I am so elated. So lucky.”</p><p>“and other times?” he asks.</p><p>“I can’t stop seeing a new galaxy form every time I close my eyes,” she says, shaking her head, “Knowing what is out there and feeling like there is something else left to do. Some horrible thing left to happen.”</p><p>He stares at her, his eyes reading everything about her. Taking her in, every lovely inch of skin at a time.</p><p>She looks down at her drink.</p><p>“I wasn’t doing fine,” she says, shaking her head, “but at least I had you. And I felt safe. Protected.”</p><p>“Always, even without me, Darling,” he says.</p><p>She smiles and nods, “and its hard to not feel safe when your best friends with a demon.”</p><p>Lucifer grins, “How is Mazikeen? She’s been awfully … absent since my return.”</p><p>Chloe frowns, “She … she’s going through some things,” Chloe says, looking up at him, “but she’s also happy. Believe it or not, she and the Lieutenant are dating now.”</p><p>Lucifer raises his eyebrows.</p><p>“Really?” he says.</p><p>“At least, I think. They’ve been at it for two years, and she hasn’t mentioned anyone else, so I think it's legit.”</p><p>Lucifer hums, “<em>Well.</em> Good on her. I suppose that’s a good thing. Couldn’t well bring her back with me now.”</p><p>Chloe furrows her eyebrows and looks at Lucifer.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>He turns to her, realizing he let the cat out of the bag.</p><p>“You’re going back?” she asks, “to hell?”</p><p>Lucifer inhales and leans up against the bar, setting his glass on top.</p><p>“Detective, I … ”</p><p>“No,” she says, “You can’t.”</p><p>“Chloe I-” he tries to say.</p><p>She shakes her head and stands from the bar, setting her glass down, “You can’t leave me again. You just got back!”</p><p>“You don’t need me,” he says, “You’ll be better off without me. All of you will be.”</p><p>She shakes her head,” You don’t know that. You can’t possibly know that,” she says.</p><p>“Detective, My father says I-“ he begins, walking around the front of the bar and standing in front of her.</p><p>“Since when do you listen to your father?” she says, annoyed.</p><p>He furrows his eyebrows and looks at her.</p><p>“I <em>died</em>, Chloe,” he says, “I’m mortal now. Human. He made me human to make a point. That he can – <em>and will</em> – do whatever is in his power until I decide to finally accept my task and go back to Hell. I’m not leaving, I’m choosing to make it easy for both of us. You have Jack now and, despite him being rather forgettable, he’s exactly what you need. Normal. Human, not some afflicted angel.”</p><p>Chloe shakes her head, “Stay. Please. You will like Jack.”</p><p>“Detective, It’s not about Jack,” he says.</p><p>“You can’t go!” she says angrily, “I just got you back.”</p><p>He sighs, trying to block the hurt out. He made a promise.</p><p>“Detective, you don’t need me anymore,” he says.</p><p>“Like hell I do!” she says, “I missed you and not just …not just as a lover but as a friend. I missed my partner. You said it yourself you hate hell, you came here to get away. Why would you want to go back?” she asks.</p><p>“Because this is not where I belong anymore, Detective,” he says, “This is not my world. It never was. And you …”</p><p>He sighs, resigned, “You’re not <em>my </em>Chloe.”</p><p>“And you can change that, “she says, shaking her head, “You always find a way.”</p><p>“Not this time,” he says shaking his head,” This time it’s best I-“</p><p>“All you’ve ever done is complain about him!” she says, now upset and her voice laced with anger, “and now suddenly you’re ready to turn over and take it? Since when do you listen to your Father?”</p><p>“Since he-” he begins to say, his voice loud and booming.</p><p><em>Since he made her go away</em>, he wants to say.</p><p><em>Since he took you from me</em>, he thinks.</p><p>But what use would that have now? To make her feel guilty for her own decisions. To make her feel guilty for all the time <em>he</em> left her alone.</p><p>For making her find comfort in another man’s arms. For allowing another man to do what he should have done, what he wants to do.</p><p>He pauses, caught off guard by his anger. It scares her, he can see it.</p><p>He pauses, thinking about all the time he missed.</p><p>Thinking about the fact that he couldn’t stop wanting her or thinking about her. He watches her, and for a brief moment, he thinks about what it might be like to hold her.</p><p>What if he<em> could</em> stay? What if she left Jack and stayed with him? He would stay, even if he had to win her love all over again. He would lock himself in his penthouse with all doors and windows shut, no knives and no guns. He would drink soup for the rest of his life if he had to and only take the stairs.</p><p>If it meant he got to keep her and her love.</p><p>But then he thinks about how easy it was to lose her to begin with.</p><p>How happy she might be not having to deal with angels or demons. Even as someone who saw murder every day, she could be happy and safe. She <em>deserved</em> to be happy. He was promised she would be safe.</p><p>He made a promise.</p><p>“Don’t go, okay? Look, we can work something out,” she says, a need of her own behind her eyes.</p><p>His forehead crinkles. It was as hard for her to let go of him as it was for him to let go of her.</p><p>“We can uhm … we can talk with Jack. Yeah?” she says, her arms crossing as she tries to come up with a solution, anything to make him stay.</p><p>“We can let him know what is going on. I mean, you’re human now, right? So we can’t show him your wings or anything, but maybe we can get Amenadiel to show his wings.”</p><p>“Detective..” Lucifer says, shaking his head.</p><p>“and then he will know. Right? And he will understand its …it’s a time thing. Maybe … maybe we can share. Right? Until we figure this out, I don’t mind-”</p><p>“Detective,” he says, sterner, his brows furrowed in pity.</p><p>It wasn’t like her to share, to <em>want</em> to be shared.</p><p>He would <em>never </em>share her.</p><p>“No, no, we can make this work,” she says, her hand on her hips in ‘fix it’ mode.</p><p>He stares at her, her eyes searching for a yes in his eyes. Searching for something that could help string her along, dive her back into the world of angels and demons. Of cut off wings and prophecies.</p><p>He wants to, <em>oh</em> how he desperately wants to hold her and call her his own again but …</p><p>He was a man of his word, and he had given it. He had made a deal, one in which he had no interest in breaking. The consequences, the disappearance of the possibility of a happy life for her, was not worth it. But she wouldn’t willingly let him go, and how can he blame her?</p><p>It took God to move him from her side. If any of it was real, the feelings they shared, she too wouldn’t budge so easy.</p><p>So, he has to make her.</p><p>She rests a hand on his chest, trying to pull him in.</p><p>“We can work something out,” she says, nodding and trying to get him to nod with her.</p><p>To agree.</p><p>“Detective,” he says, his eyes dead and his voice oddly calm, “I know we may have said some things in the heat of the moment, but I believe you were right yesterday when you suggested that time gave you clarity.”</p><p>She shakes her head, “I was … I was angry,” she says, “and hurt but, I didn’t mea-“</p><p>“I believe now that I’ve had time, I also have clarity.”</p><p>She just looks at him, unsure of what he is going to say.</p><p>“Okay,” she says, hoping it is a yes to her suggestion.</p><p>“I was … <em>enamored </em>by your ability to avoid the pull of my charms. To ignore what I imagine might have been a strong desire for me. But I have to admit, it was just …fascination.”</p><p>She pauses then slowly backs away from him, “What?” she says, the hurt in her voice.</p><p>“I wanted to know what you felt like. I wanted to study you like one does a frog or a rat or any other manner of small creature your kind likes to dissect in high school classrooms.”</p><p>She stares at him, the hurt behind her eyes, turning into anger.</p><p>“But I’ve finished my dissection and … I have to say you were one of the more difficult women to seduce, and you should be proud of that fact.”</p><p>“What are you saying?” she says, crossing her arms.</p><p>“I have no interest in you,” he says, “I was hoping to leave you with pleasant thoughts, but it seems even you cling to the charms of the devil too much.”</p><p>She shakes her head, “No, no, you told me you loved me. You gave me your ring.”</p><p>“This old thing?” he says, lifting a hand up to check his ring.</p><p>“I told you. Meaningless on the whole,” he says, chuckling.</p><p>“No, no, I don’t believe that,” she says, shaking her head.</p><p>“I … I lied,” he says to her, “I never loved you. It was all a ruse, you know … the prince of lies. I’m surprised you hadn’t picked up on that, what with your investigatory skills.”</p><p>She stares at him shaking her head.</p><p>“No, … that’s not true. You-“</p><p>“I’m the devil Darling,” Lucifer says, an annoyance pulling through his voice, “you didn’t believe me, did you?”</p><p>She narrows her eyes and shakes her head.</p><p>“That’s not true,” she says, “You … <em>no</em>, that’s not true.”</p><p>“Cheer up, Darling,” he says, sticking his hands into his pockets, “At least you got a few good fucks out of it.”</p><p>Her eyes snap up to him, ready to curse him into another universe when for a brief second, the will of his smile falters, and the shine of his shitty grin dissipates.</p><p>She sees a different face.</p><p>It is the kind of shift they tell you to look for when giving interviews.</p><p>When looking for liars.</p><p>It’s brief, blink and you’ll miss it, but its undeniably there.</p><p><em>Sometimes we do the unthinkable for those we love</em>, she hears him say in her head.</p><p><em>And as you know, I would never lie. Least of all to you</em>, her memory whispers.</p><p><em>And yet he is</em>, she thinks.</p><p>Lucifer is lying to her.</p><p>“Now that we’re done with that,” he says, reaching to grab for his drink off the bar, “I’ve been a proper Devil, and I’m going to pop down to hell for a few millennia to sort a few things out.”</p><p>She narrows her eyes, turns her eyes down to the glass, and slaps it out of his hand. It goes flying across the bar and lands behind it. It shatters onto the floor and leaves drops of whiskey in its path.</p><p>Lucifer wipes the whiskey off his hand, unamused, “Darling, there’s no need to-“ he begins.</p><p>“Why are you lying to me?” she says, slowly walking towards him, into his space.</p><p>His smile falls, and he takes a step back.</p><p>“Darling, are you well? I-“</p><p>“You never lie,” she says, “point of pride, remember? So why are you lying to me <em>right now</em>?”</p><p>“Darling, do I lie, or do I not lie? Make up your mind.”</p><p>“Do you love me?” she asks flatly, staring into his eyes.</p><p>He stares at her for a moment, gauging her approach.</p><p>“No,” he says.</p><p>She reaches out and slaps him across the face, his head following the direction of her hand.</p><p>“Do you love me?” she asks again, “Don’t lie to me, Lucifer.”</p><p>He turns his head to her, his hand already on the red and warm skin of his cheek.</p><p>“Are you mad?!” he asks, “If this is your idea of foreplay Darling, I’m upset I missed your journey into BDSM.”</p><p>“Say it!” she says, her voice indicating she is not fucking around, “Say you don’t love me.”</p><p>“I don’t love you,” he says.</p><p>She reels her hand up and slaps him across the face again. This time the confusion and shock in his eyes turns into annoyance. He turns his head back to her as he backs away, further towards the steps.</p><p>“Bloody! … Detective! If you’re going to hit me at least let me take my clothes-“</p><p>“Tell me the truth,” she says, more annoyed that she believes he is lying to her than what he is saying.</p><p>“Darling do you always take rejection this poorly?” he asks.</p><p>She narrows her eyes at him. He scoffs, “Fine, the truth is I don’t love you. I Never loved you,” he says.</p><p>She grits her teeth and reaches up to slap him again, but he grabs onto her hand, a rage in his eyes.</p><p>She reaches up with the other hand and slaps him in a different direction.</p><p>“Why are you lying to me!” she yells.</p><p>“Chloe, stop!” he says as he grabs her other hand, “This nonsense is unbecoming of you.”</p><p>“Tell me the truth,” she says, shaking his wrists off hers and pushing him backwards until he lands to sit on the top landing of his steps.</p><p>She slides her knee between his legs, blocking him into a seated position on the steps, clearly unafraid of cornering the devil.</p><p>“Tell me you don’t love me,” she growls.</p><p>He looks up at her, holding his hands out, hoping they will hold her back.</p><p>“Detective, I-“</p><p>“Say it, Lucifer, I swear to <em>God</em>…” she begins, her hand raised.</p><p>“I don’t love you!” he screams, the words ending high pitched.</p><p>Even as he says the words it's obvious, he doesn’t mean them.</p><p>“I never loved you!” he says, his lips quivering, “I was just interested in the thrill of the chase. The thrill of making you desire all the sinful things your mind could muster. It was a game to me, Detective. I won. You lost.”</p><p>She sits back, her eyebrows furrowed but softness in her voice.</p><p>“Why are you lying to me?” she asks.</p><p>“Because!” he screams, “I want you to go off with Jack and have babies and get married and do all the bloody normal things you deserve to do.”</p><p>She furrows her eyebrows.</p><p>“As long as I’m here, as long as <em>we</em> are here … it will never be right, will it? It will always be one celestial thing after the other. I’ll always be a tornado, won’t I?” he asks.</p><p>Her anger subsides, and she sighs and moves to sit next to him on the stairs. He sits up, angry his plan didn’t work, but that anger covered up more by embarrassment. Of doing something wrong and getting caught.</p><p>“Why would you lie to me?” she asks sadly, turning to him.</p><p>He doesn’t match her gaze, he just stares forward, ashamed.</p><p>“I made a deal with my Father. If I go, If I do as I am told, you will live a long, happy life. So just … <em>fucking</em> let me do it.”</p><p>“And if you don’t?” she asks.</p><p>“Well, you’ll keep waiting, now won’t you?” he says turning to her, “I’ll keep pining after someone who deserves better. I’ll keep tearing up your farm, won’t I?”<br/><br/></p><p>“This whole thing-“ he says, waving to the penthouse, “will continue until one of us dies for good and the other will have to deal with the emptiness, and the people, and the pain.”</p><p>She sighs and shuts her eyes.</p><p>“So, you lied to me. You lied to me to make it easy for me to let go,” she says.</p><p>He scoffs, angry, “I hate that you’re so bloody …”</p><p>He doesn’t finish that. He doesn’t need to.</p><p>Smart.</p><p>Stubborn.</p><p>Perceptive.</p><p>Beautiful.</p><p>The list goes on and on until he just finds himself staring out into nothingness.</p><p>She turns to him, her eyes glazed in thought.</p><p>“Just like the garden,” she says.</p><p>He turns to her.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“They had to break their connection with God,” she says, “So the snake made Eve eat the apple. Just like you were willing to make me believe you never loved me.”</p><p>She blows air out of her nose, amused, before reaching up to brush a strand of hair behind her ear.</p><p>It’s a movement he had missed. He watches the strand go behind her ear, and she watches the loving way he watches her.</p><p>“I forgot how fucked up you were,” she says with a smile.</p><p>He looks down, and their eyes lock, and suddenly they are in the same place again.</p><p>Of need and want.</p><p>Of resignation and defeat.</p><p>Of sadness and guilt.</p><p>But unlike last time, it isn’t just comfort they seek.</p><p>It’s closure.</p><p><em>Real </em>closure.</p><p>Suddenly a tension between them snaps, and they both stagger forward and lock in a kiss that spills over into a physical release of emotion.</p><p>His hands wrap around her face and pulls her in as she pulls her leg up, straddling him. She reaches down and begins to unbutton his shirt, their mouths hungrily sliding over one another. Their tongues unsure of what to taste first.</p><p>He reaches below her and grabs her ass, pulling her further onto his lap before twisting and setting her on her back on the top landing of the stairs.</p><p>Here, he pulls away from her, lifts her shirt up, then her bra and – with zero hesitation- pops a breast into his mouth.</p><p>Lucifer’s tongue hungrily meets her nipple, teasing it first with a lick before latching on it softly. She tilts her head back and arches her chest into him. There are moans there, he thinks, but they are soft and delicate and not the type he craves to hear. He turns his eyes up to see Chloe lovingly watching him. He moves to the other breast and traces his tongue around her nipple. Chloe closes her eyes, and her head tilts back in reaction. She let’s go a soft moan that only spurs Lucifer on. She feels the tingling growing in her pants. It had been years since she had been this wet for anyone, even Jack.</p><p>She tilts her head back up and grabs his hair, pulling him back and removing his suction from her breast. She kisses him enthusiastically as she reaches down between them and fiddles with the buckle of his belt.</p><p>Things are moving fast, but with little words spoken between them, there is no room here to second guess what has become apparent and inevitable.</p><p>They are going to have sex, right now, on the floor.</p><p>--</p><p><br/>It is dark inside of Linda’s Living room, but even without the light Amenadiel maneuvers his way around furniture as if it were something he was used to by now. He usually did this after sex, going to the fridge to get a drink. He scratches his stomach, deciding on if he should get something to eat too when he pauses. His eyes narrow, and his gaze snaps to the corner of the living room, to a couch by a small table. Here a figure sits silently.</p><p>He stares at it for a long time, shocked but also assessing if there is a danger here.</p><p>Then he pauses, a familiar scent floating into his nostrils. He blinks.</p><p>“Maze?” he asks, his voice pitched like he is unsure.</p><p>The figure stands and walks forward into the light. It is indeed Maze, and she is not happy.</p><p>Her eyes drift down his body and land on his penis.</p><p>“Huh,” she says, and he reacts by grabbing a pillow off the couch and covering himself.</p><p>“What are you doing here?!” he asks.</p><p>“I thought I might find you here,” she says.</p><p>“And you couldn’t wait until the morning? Or … wait. Have you been here the whole time?’</p><p>“Yeah,” she says, “you still moan like a girl I see.”</p><p>He purses his lips and points his finger, “Out. Get out.”</p><p>She sighs, “Fine. I’m sorry. I … look, I just need your help.”</p><p>“And what is so important it can’t wait until morning?” he asks.</p><p>She tenses her jaw and looks off to the side, a look on her face as if she didn’t want to say.</p><p>He doesn’t like the look at all.</p><p>“What is it?” he says, thinking the worst, “Is it Lucifer? Oh father, did he die again?”</p><p>Maze shakes her head, “No, I mean …not that I know of. I just …I feel weird,” she says.</p><p>Amenadiel narrows his eyes, “You feel weird?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Maze says.</p><p>Amenadiel shakes his head, “I’m not a human doctor, let alone a demon doctor, but … have you considered it might be gas?”</p><p>She groans, “No, you idiot, I mean … I feel weird. Like, I need you to do your thing on me. The one you did on Dan. With the doors?”</p><p>“How did you know about that?” he asks.</p><p>She scoffs, “Come on. I used to live with Lucifer’s girlfriend. There’s nothing I don’t know. She also moans like a girl, but like …you know, she is actually a girl.”</p><p>Ameandiel groans and turns to go back to the bedroom.</p><p>“Okay, I’m sorry!” she says, holding her head out, “I just … I don’t like this feeling, okay? It- it makes me … care.”</p><p>He shakes his head, “Maze, what is the point in checking on your soul when you know you don’t have one?”</p><p>She shakes her head, “I can’t explain it. I just …I feel weird.”</p><p>Just then, a completely nude Linda walks out of the room, “What is taking you so long? I thought you were going to eat my-“</p><p>She pauses when she sees Maze and Amenadiel standing there.</p><p>She yelps and runs back into the bedroom, “Maze!”</p><p>Maze nods to herself impressed.</p><p>“Not bad,” she says, crossing her arms.</p><p>Amenadiel sighs, “Can we do this tomorrow?” he asks.</p><p>She shakes her head, “Nuh-uh,” she says, uncrossing her arms and steadying her stance.</p><p>“Come on, do the thing,” she says.</p><p>“Maze, there’s no point. You know demons don’t have souls, and you’re as pure a demon as anyone.”</p><p>“Flattery won’t get you out of this,” she says, patting her chest, “Come on.”</p><p>Ameandiel sighs, “Maze, this is a pointless exercise and a waste of energy.”</p><p>“I know,” she says, “but I also know that I almost cried over a child scraping their knee, and that’s not normal for me. I’ve done more than scrape a few knees in my lifetime.”</p><p>Amenadiel sighs.</p><p>“Now come on,” she says, tapping her chest, “hit me.”</p><p>Linda comes out, a robe tying around her body, “Maze, what are you doing here!”</p><p>“She’s come to get a soul check,” Amenadiel chuckles.</p><p>“A what?”</p><p>“It’s one of our gifts, given to every angel by Father. We can look into the hearts of man and find their soul.”</p><p>Linda shakes her head, “Every day it’s something new, it feels like.”</p><p>Linda sighs, “Alright, so get it over so we can go back to bed.”</p><p>Amenadiel furrows his eyebrows, “Linda, there is no point. She’s a demon. Demons, by their very nature, have no soul.”</p><p>“She wouldn’t be coming here if she thought-“ Linda begins.</p><p>“It’s a futile ex-“ he interrupts.</p><p>“I just want it to stop!” Maze screams.</p><p>They turn to her, her fists clenched.</p><p>“I hate it, and I want it to stop, and part of stopping it is figuring out why it is happening. I don’t expect there to be anything, but it’s a process of elimination at this point so … get off your high horse, and fucking do it.”</p><p>Amenadiel sighs and looks at Maze.</p><p>Maze turns her head, “I just … I need to know.”</p><p>Amenadiel turns to Linda, and Linda nods for him to do it. He sighs again before approaching her, one hand still pressing a pillow to his lap.</p><p>“Close your eyes,” he tells Maze.</p><p>She steadies herself and closes her eyes.</p><p>He closes his eyes, and they just stand there in silence. Linda watches, her eyes ping-ponging between the both of them.</p><p>“Anything?” she asks.</p><p>Amenadiel shushes her.</p><p>He steadies himself, centers his spirit, and opens his eyes.</p><p>Instead of being in his living room, he stands at a single door. It is large and metal. Forged of iron with chains around it. Locked and sealed shut as he expects. He moves forward and places his hands on the door.</p><p>He hears slamming, door after door after door shutting behind him until he finds himself standing at the very last door. It is made of metal but ornate, trimmed in gold, and etched with the loving language of God.</p><p>This door is different, not a door he’s seen before.</p><p>Like the mother of a newborn might adorn their first child with the best clothing and diapers, and the second with hand me downs.</p><p>This is what it must look like.</p><p>The doors of the first few generations of demons. Of the old guard.</p><p>So much potential gone to waste and left to rot in the fires of hell.</p><p>He looks over it for a moment before his eye watches on something strange, a handprint protruding from the door, but towards him.</p><p>It was almost as if something was trying to get out.</p><p>He narrows his eyes and kneels down to it. He traces his fingers around the raised edges.</p><p>Suddenly, the door kicks and shakes, and Amenadiel steps back. It stops and is still again another handprint appearing next to it, stretching the metal against its will.</p><p>“Hello?” he asks.</p><p>There is a silence there, his ears attuned.</p><p>He pauses, the silence feeling like forever.</p><p>He is about to say hello again when he hears a sound, a response.</p><p>“HhhHh- e-O?” a voice says, sounding an awful lot like Maze.</p><p>It struggled to find the word, but it sounds like it understands Or, at the very least it tries to.</p><p>Like it is learning. Similar to what Amenadiel had heard from the halfling but much smaller, much newer.</p><p>Amenadiel doesn’t even have time to respond as his eyes pop open, wide in shock, and he stares at Maze. Her eyes are still closed.</p><p>He backs away, his eyes wide.</p><p>Maze opens her eyes and looks at him.</p><p>“Well?” she asks.</p><p>He shakes his head, “Impossible,” he huffs.</p><p>“Why do you have that look on your face?” Maze asks, nervous, scared of the answer she knows to be true.</p><p>“I …,” he says, pausing before taking a breath.</p><p>She stares at him, her eyes begging to put her out of her misery and give her an answer.</p><p>He swallows and slowly nods.</p><p>Her breathing changes, “So it’s true,” she says, devastated.</p><p>She moves over to the chair she was sitting in previously and plops down, her eyes distant.</p><p>“I don’t … I don’t understand how,” he says, his eyebrows furrowing, “Your people are …demon’s don’t.”</p><p>“I’m plagued,” she says as if she was just given a terminal diagnosis.</p><p>“What is happening?’ Linda says, seeing them both reeling from the news.</p><p>“Maze …I don’t know how, but …she has, she has a soul. It’s small, but it shouldn’t be there. It’s … improbable.”</p><p>“Well, that’s great!” Linda says, smiling.</p><p>Maze looks up at her, her jaw tight.</p><p>“Right?” she asks.</p><p>Maze stands up and quickly heads to the door.</p><p>“Mazikeen! Wait!” Amenadiel says, reaching for her. She snaps her arm from his and barrels towards the door.</p><p>“I need air,” she says, opening the door and disappearing into the night.</p><p>Amenadiel sighs and shakes his head.</p><p>“Father help us,” he says before turning his eyes to Linda.</p><p>She looks at him, unsure about why this is bad news.</p><p>“Isn’t this like …isn’t this what we want?” she asks.</p><p>Amenadiel shakes his head, “Demons are a proud kind. They live their life understanding their imperfection is because they have no soul. Their entire identity is based around it.”</p><p>“Okay…” Linda says.</p><p>“Mazikeen is old Guard. She is almost the purest you can get in terms of a demon. One of the few in which God still had a hand in making, despite their protests. She is proud and … in their eyes, royalty. Honorable. For her to have a soul … it is … it is an abomination,” he says, “anathema. It is comparable to death, perhaps even worse.”</p><p>“Well, she doesn’t like her brothers and sisters anyway,” Linda asks, “I mean I can work through the identity crisis, but in the end, this is good. Right?”</p><p>Amenadiel looks at her as if it is cute that she doesn’t understand.</p><p>“What am I not getting?” she asks.</p><p>“Do you know what they call a demon with a soul?” he asks.</p><p>Linda shakes her head.</p><p>“An angel,” he says, “Truly there becomes no difference. They are one and the same. Perfect immortals made in God’s image. With no free will. Who serve him in all manners.”</p><p>Linda turns her head towards the closes door of her home.</p><p>“Is she going to grow wings?” Linda asks.</p><p>Amenadiel bursts out into laughter at the idea.</p><p>“That was a comparison. She’s still a demon, Linda. No. No wings or gifts from God or anything like that. Just …”</p><p>He pauses, his smile fading.</p><p>“Just a world of emotional turmoil packed into an angry-knife wielding woman.”</p><p>He stares out into nothing then turns his eyes to Linda.</p><p>“Demon-puberty,” Linda says.</p><p>“Mm,” he says, thinking of the ramifications.</p><p>Controlling Maze’s temper was bad enough as it was.</p><p>Linda looks at him with a grim look on her face.</p><p>“We’re going to have to hide her knives,” she says.</p><p>“Yeah,” he grunts.</p><p>--</p><p>Ella gently lays onto her bed before scooting herself back so that her legs don’t dangle off the edge. Abel follows her, crawling between her legs, his eyes only focused on the smile on her face. He leans in and kisses her, softly at first, until he lets his body weight fall onto her. Her arms wrap around his back, and she grinds against him.</p><p>Here, their kiss gets deeper and sloppy until they both are breathing heavily and can’t keep their hands from going places they probably shouldn’t.</p><p>Ella is the first to make a move by reaching down to peel off his shirt and throw it to the side. He allows her to pull the shirt over his head.</p><p>Her eyes scan down his torso. He is lean but more muscular than she thought he would be. His chest has a decent amount of hair on it. It siphons to a singular line that crosses through the center of his navel before venturing further south.</p><p>She pulls a hand up and runs it slowly through the hair on his chest.</p><p>He smiles as he watches her. Her eyes move up to his, and she smiles back at him.</p><p>“I’d ask you if you like what you saw, but that feels too on the nose,” he chuckles.</p><p>She grins and roams her hand down his abdomen. When it reaches his navel, his body visibly shudders.</p><p>“It’s been a long time for me too,” she says, her hand arcing up around his back and pulling him closer, “I was beginning to think I should own stock in Duracell.”</p><p>He chuckles and leans back down to kiss her. Her hands roam across his back, feeling the oscillation of his back muscles as he begins to grind his body into her. She moans as he moves to lay gentle kisses on her neck.</p><p>“This is bad,” she says out loud, meaning it to be an inner monologue.</p><p>She shouldn’t be this turned on.</p><p>For a priest.</p><p>For the world's first murder victim.</p><p>Yet, here she was … not able to think of anything else, but the erection pressed up against her body. Wondering how it would feel inside of her. She had wondered for months now, but had decided it was probably best they remain friends.</p><p>Friends who told each other about every detail of their day.</p><p>Friends who dropped everything at the notice of a hat to help</p><p>.</p><p>Friends who confided in one another but did nothing more than graze hands as they reached for the bread, or ketchup.</p><p>Truth be told, she was tired of just being his friend. She wanted so much more, but …</p><p>This was bad.</p><p>She shouldn’t be this wet for just a<em> friend</em>.</p><p>He smiles, his body continuing to grind into her. He pulls away from her before looking down to where their clothes meet.</p><p>“Do you feel that?” he asks, making sure his weight is pressed against her as he grinds.</p><p>She smiles and nods.</p><p>“That’s all for you,” he says.</p><p>She hums in approval before pulling him closer to kiss. He keeps away from her, though, his eyes locked onto her.</p><p>“Question is, are you sure you want it?” he asks.</p><p>“Yes,” she admits, “I’m also sure I’m going to be <em>super</em> pissed if you leave me this wet.”</p><p>He chuckles, and she smiles widely.</p><p>“Okay,” he says, leaning in to kiss her neck.</p><p>“what do you propose we do about that then?” he whispers into her ear.</p><p>“You talk a lot of shit for a virgin,” she says.</p><p>He laughs loudly, she can feel his laughter shaking his core, and she grins.</p><p>“I assure you that is an affliction of the body, not the mind,” he says warmly into her ear before pressing himself further against her.</p><p>It sends a shiver up her spine. He reaches down and lays a hand on his ass, feeling his glutes clench as he grinds himself against her.</p><p>They move in silence, the friction between her legs causing her to pant. He grunts and presses himself further into her, she can feel every inch of him between his thick cotton sweats.</p><p>She quickly sits up, pushing him away slightly, before crossing her arms as she reaches down to peel off her top. She tosses it aside as he reaches around her and unclasps her bra in one movement. It comes undone, and she looks at him, impressed.</p><p>“Muscle memory,” he says, smiling.</p><p>Her eyes move down to the erection straining against his pants.</p><p>“I wonder what other muscles have memory,” she says gleefully.</p><p>He pushes her back down onto the bed, “Wouldn’t you like to know?” he asks before he kisses her again, and she wraps her arms around him – their naked torso’s squished against each other skin to skin.</p><p><em>He’s just a friend,</em> she thinks.</p><p>Like Maze. Just friends.</p><p>Friends who roll around naked.</p><p>Friends who can have sex without getting caught up.</p><p>She briefly wonders if she wants to get caught up. It he will get caught up. She knocks that thought out of her mind, not wanting to deal with the reality of feelings or emotions. It had been too long since she felt the touch of another person, let alone a man.</p><p>A hot man.</p><p>A hot man that wanted her just as much as she wanted him.</p><p>He goes back to grinding against her, an eager strength to his movements. She moans, feeling his body against hers even through clothing. They continue to do this until they are panting.</p><p>“I don’t recall ever being this hard,” he says breathily into her ears.</p><p>Suddenly, Ella cracks.</p><p>She pushes him off of her and reaches down, sliding her hands beneath her underwear. Then she pulls both her pants and underwear off her hips. He leans back and assists her in getting naked.</p><p>“Stop fucking around,” she says.</p><p>Her pants get caught on the bottom of her foot, and she tries to shake it off to no avail. He laughs at her impatience and grabs ahold of her foot to help her out. Then he tosses her pants to the side. He turns just as she lays her hands on the elastic of his sweatpants.</p><p>He watches as she – with little ceremony – yanks his sweatpants down before reaching into his underwear and grabbing hold of his erection.</p><p>She pulls it out with even less provocation, and instantly he is inside her mouth. He grunts as he feels her mouth on him and sets a hand on her head. She doesn’t stop to look at it, to judge it, she just puts it directly in her mouth. She lets her tongue find out that he has his foreskin still. She lets her hand feel the stubble of trimmed, but not completely shaved, pubic hair.</p><p>He closes his eyes, falling into her touch. It had been so long, he doesn’t remember blowjobs feeling this good.</p><p>“Oh,” he groans, a hand snaking down to press against his happy trail.</p><p>Slowly he thrusts into her mouth, his eyelids lowering with each thrust until he is staring at her with nothing but lust in his eyes.</p><p>He gives into that feeling, no longer trying to be gentle for her.</p><p>He reaches forward and runs his hand down her smooth back as she takes him deep into her mouth.</p><p>He turns back to her to see him all the way in her mouth. He pumps his hips into her throat, groaning.</p><p>“You don’t have a gag reflex,” he says, surprised.</p><p>She pulls away from him, taking a deep breath.</p><p>She strokes him, a thick spit from her mouth helping to smooth her strokes.</p><p>“Surprise,” she says with a grin.</p><p>“It is actually super helpful for being near dead bodies,” she says, stroking his cock with her hand.</p><p>“Shhh,” he says grabbing hold of his cock at its base and sliding himself back into her mouth, “Let’s not talk about your job right now.”</p><p>She takes him deeply again, her hand on his ass, pulling his hips into her mouth.</p><p>“Ohh,” he moans, holding her head as he thrusts.</p><p>He reaches down and puts his palm on her esophagus. He can feel her throat widen as he enters it.</p><p>“You are perfect,” he grunts out.</p><p>He pumps his hips deep into her throat, thrust after thrust until she is forced to pull away from him and take a breath. She wipes her mouth and leans away as he trie to go in for more.</p><p>“Take your pants off,” she says as she turns and hops off the bed.</p><p>He stands off the bed and slides himself out of his pants and underwear while she approaches a nearby dresser and pulls out a small bag with daisies on it. She sets it on the top of the dresser and unzips it. She reaches inside and pulls out a row of condoms before snapping one off an opening it. She discards the package before climbing back onto the bed.</p><p>He kneels on the bed, climbing towards her as she reaches out and strokes him a little before unraveling the condom onto his erection.</p><p>Then she slides beneath him on the bed and lands on her back, pulling her hair from beneath her.</p><p>Without a word, he slides to lay between her legs. They kiss again. Soft, but full of hunger. When they pull away, they lock eyes, excitement, and nervousness in them. He leans down to kiss her again as her hand snakes between them and begins to pull on his erection. He hums in the enjoyment of what she is doing and responds by softly pumping his hips into her hand.</p><p>They continue to kiss as she strokes him, slowly moving her hand lower and lower until his pump is met with a different feeling, with something more soft and warm than her hand. He pauses and looks down to find her positioning him at her entrance.</p><p>She reaches her other hand around his lower abdomen and pulls him closer, forcing him to sink into her. She moans as he enters her, stretching her body in a way it hadn’t been for a very long time.</p><p>He just watches and turns his eyes to her. Her eyes are shut as she concentrates on this new- but old – feeling. When her eyes open, she is met with his gaze, his eyes full of so many unspoken feelings. She smiles at him and nods before reaching her hands up and pulling him into a kiss.</p><p>Slowly he begins to push and pull himself in and out of her until his strokes are smooth, and her body clings to him at every stage of his thrust.</p><p>She doesn’t say anything, she just moans. With each of his thrusts and every breath she lets go, a soft moan rides on the back of it.</p><p>They don’t speak or communicate, instead, they let their bodies do the talking.</p><p>He speeds up his movement and adds more power behind his hips until the bed begins to creak with each of his plunges into her. Her moans become higher-pitched, more strained until her wails of ecstasy no longer match the pumps of his hips. Instead, they are free form, and she lets them go freely despite how constrained and tense they sound. She pulls her knees up and out, allowing him to go deeper and her head tosses back.</p><p>Still, they don’t say anything. Save for the soft mutterings of his name, her words are instead vocalizations—soft grunts and moans. A few whined expletives here and there, but it isn’t directed at him.</p><p>It just is.</p><p>They don’t speak to each other.</p><p>Instead he watches her like one would study painting at a museum. He uses her vocalizations and the pained expression on his face to change the speed and depth of his thrusts until she reaches out and is clawing at his back. The bedsprings creak, and his thighs hit the back of her thighs as the room becomes filled with panting and her strained vocalizations.</p><p>He speeds up again, jackhammering into her as his hands sit between her armpits, holding himself up. She tosses her hands up, holding onto the pillows behind her head and completely lost in this feeling.</p><p>She hadn’t had sex in so long, with a male at least. She had missed the feeling of being so full. Of feeling that spot inside of her hit with such pure carnal force. She doesn’t want him to ever stop.</p><p>But then he does, suddenly he stops. He holds himself deep into her, just laying there panting.</p><p>She smiles and brings a hand down to his ass. Here she pulls him deeper into her. He pants.</p><p>“You pacing yourself?” she asks, grinning.</p><p>He shakes his head, “You’re going to be the end of me, I swear,” he says.</p><p>She grins and pulls him into her again before pulling his hips away, forcing a small amount of movement between them. He shakes it off and slowly goes back to filling her as deep as she will let him.</p><p>She lets go of her waist and allows her hands to come up over her head, letting him use her with little contact elsewhere. She is aware he isn’t using her, but the idea makes goosebumps form on her skin.</p><p>He speeds up his maneuvering as his slides up so that his fingers lock into hers. Here, he puts weight on his hands that bolt her own hands on either side of her head. He uses it to anchor him as he fucks her with more passion.</p><p>Here, somewhere between watching her and feeling her, it becomes less about the mechanics and more about getting her there. Hearing what she sounded like when she experienced an orgasm. His movements aren’t so clean, but his eagerness and sheer <em>“in-the-momentness</em>” make her vocalizations turn to actual words.</p><p>“Fuck,” she hisses, her face scrunched up.</p><p>He continues plunging into her, trying to get himself as deep as possible both for her own pleasure but also his as he begins chasing an orgasm that is building quickly at the base of his spine.</p><p>Her knees are still pulled up to either side of his body, not wrapping around him, but anchored to his side as if she was trying to close her legs. She can’t, though, not when he plunges into her body with little interest in stopping or slowing down.</p><p>“Abel!” she moans, her breath taken away, “I’m going to cum.”</p><p>She screams his name, and his eyes snap to her. His lungs immediately grow ten times smaller, and suddenly there is an urgency in his being. He wanted to feel her, every inch of her. He lets go of her hands and leans in, resting his weight on top of her. Feeling the rise and fall of her breasts on his chest, the sweat of her skin on his own. He continues his thrusts, his hands sliding down and grabbing her ass, keeping them together. This closeness makes his body rub against her clit with each new grind, and she wraps her arms around him keeping him there.</p><p>“yes!” she breathily gasps, “Oh fuck!”</p><p>The bedrocks and shakes until eventually, with little planning or communication, she falls over the edge, and seconds later, he is hit with his own orgasm. They groan in unison, their bodies tensing and pulsating. He releases himself into the condom as her body pulsates around his cock- only making his orgasm stronger. And hearing him experience release while feeling his warmth inside her, makes her body shudder.</p><p>When they climb down from their mutual orgasm, they fall into a heaping pile of panting, sweaty flesh. The room is silent now, except for the audible breathing. He slowly grinds into her, trying to get every single feeling out of his orgasm. When he stops moving completely, he pulls his head out of the crook of her neck, and their eyes meet. They just stare at each other for a second, both wild-eyed as if amazed at how good that was.</p><p>Months of tension let go in an instant, and now they found themselves in the crater of their explosion.</p><p>They stare at one another, and Ella cracks a smile before tossing her hands behind her on to the pillow.</p><p>“Not bad for a virgin,” she says, breathlessly.</p><p>He carefully sits up and slowly pulls himself out of her, making sure the condom doesn’t fall off. She just lays there, her knees kicked up and waiting. When he pulls away, she drops her legs and rests a hand on her stomach, still catching her breath.</p><p>She watches as he deals with the condom and its contents, her eyes taking note of how quiet he is. He reaches down and pulls his underwear from being entangled with his pants and slips it on. He turns back to her to find her looking at him. His eyes move down to her body.</p><p>“I uhm … thank you,” he says.</p><p>She smiles, “No, need to thank me. I mean, I guess you should but-“</p><p>He blows air out of his nose, amused. He turns and crawls back onto the bed before collapsing in the spot next to her and sighing. They both stare at the ceiling.</p><p>She turns her head to him, and he turns his head to her.</p><p>She smiles widely, and he looks at her, unsure as to why she is smiling. She starts to wiggle, laying down and begins to sing.</p><p>“We just had seeeeex,” she sings.</p><p>She sits up.</p><p>“Oh! I totally should text the girls about this. I can be like, see! You’re not the only ones chicas.”</p><p>Abel starts to laugh. The tension in his body relieved.</p><p>“Or is that a bit much?” she asks, second-guessing herself.</p><p>He sits up next to her and leans over to kiss her shoulder.</p><p>“It’s a bit much,” he says.</p><p>She smiles, and their eyes meet again.</p><p>She leans in and kisses him. It’s not hungry or full of lust. It’s just soft and lovely.</p><p>Then she gets up and reaches down to pick up her clothes.</p><p>“Come on,” she says, “I’m actually hungry now.”</p><p>He watches as she leaves, and his smile falls. His eyes turn down for a moment, a strange feeling in his chest. He squints his eyes and turns them back towards the door.</p><p>He stands up and walks to the door frame where he sees Ella pulling her hair out of the top she just slid on and reaching out to grab a slice of lukewarm pizza. He stares at her for a second, standing in his black underwear.</p><p>“I think..,” he begins, unsure about this feeling but …sure at the same time.</p><p>She takes a bite.</p><p>“I think I love you,” he says.</p><p>She pauses, and her eyes turn to him.</p><p>He stands there, staring at her. His eyes are honest. Like he was stating an obvious fact.</p><p>“What?” she asks, holding the bite of food in her mouth like a chipmunk, unable to fully parse what he just said.</p><p>He leans off the door frame and walks towards her.</p><p>“I can’t be sure. I’ve never really had the opportunity to experience it, but … I think this is what love feels like.”</p><p>She scoffs, “Normally, you say that to get a girl in bed, not the other way around.”</p><p>He shakes his head, “I am not interested in doing anything with you,” he says.</p><p>She raises an eyebrow.</p><p>“Let me rephrase that,” he says, and Ella lets out a chuckle.</p><p>“I would love to have sex with you again. As many times as you’d like to. I just … I say that not because of what I want but because I … I just –“</p><p>“You love me,” Ella says.</p><p>Abel nods, “Mm,” he affirms.</p><p>Ella nods and turns to set the pizza down on the empty plate. She reaches for another slice and sets it next to Abel’s half-eaten slice.</p><p>“Well, I <em>would</em> like to do more romantic things,” she says, “hence me asking you out.”</p><p>He nods, “and I would like to do more sex, eventually.”</p><p>Ella chuckles and serves a slice for herself.</p><p>“Perhaps we can both get what we want?” she asks.</p><p>A smile pulls onto his face.</p><p>Ella chuckles, “Besides, I mean … it’s only fair. I mean, you love me and all.”</p><p>He smiles widely and moves to stand behind her, wrapping his hands around her torso and sitting his head on her shoulder.</p><p>“I do,” he says, “and its … actually a very nice feeling. It feels … normal.”</p><p>Ella smiles to herself, picking off a cooled ball of cheese from the slicer and putting it into her mouth.</p><p>“I know it might be too soon for such a statement,” he says,” but … I would like to spend this life with you if possible.”</p><p>Ella pauses, her eyes narrow. She turns around in his arms, her eyebrows furrowed.</p><p>“You what?”</p><p>“I believe you are exactly what I am looking for,” he says, “we could start a family, I wouldn’t want you to leave your job so … I suppose I’d tend to the small ones in the early years.”</p><p>She just stares at him, unsure what to say. He sees the look of horror on her face and backs away.</p><p>“I … I’m sorry. Was that too forward?” he asks.</p><p>“I-“ Ella begins, unsure this is where she saw the day going.</p><p>She had thought she would come out with a date and maybe a make-out session, not sex, and what sounded like a marriage proposal.</p><p>“I’ve gone too far,” he says, shaking his head, “My apologies … I just, I thought –“</p><p>“It’s fine, I just …it’s a little …it’s a little too soon for me,” she says, her eyes apologetic.</p><p>He nods, “I understand completely,” he says, “and again, my apologies.”</p><p>“No, don’t apologize. It’s not bad, it’s just you know … I like you, I really do. I mean, I practically spent the last two years fantasizing over you.”</p><p>He tilts his head, “You did?”</p><p>“Duh!” she says.</p><p>He grins at that admission.</p><p>“I just, you know…” she says, trying to come up with the words.</p><p>“I understand,” he says, approaching her and putting his hands on her shoulder, “but just so you are aware, my mind is made up. Whenever you are ready, I will be here.”</p><p>He walks around her and moves to the pizza. He grabs a slice and bites into it. It’s a little cold. He sets it down on the plate and turns to her. She is still looking at him like she doesn’t know what to say.</p><p>“This might need to go back into the oven,” he says between chews.</p><p>--</p><p>Inside the room with the balcony, a chair flies across the room. It crashes against the stone wall before splintering into pieces and falling into a pile of wood and cloth. Calmos watches from a safe distance as Ezria, pupils fully blacked out, throws a tantrum, and begins to destroy everything. Anything with Lucifer’s touch on it, he destroys.</p><p>“My King, I understand you’re upset, but-“ Calmos begins.</p><p>“Treachery!” he growls, turning to Calmos, his chest rising and falling as he pants in anger.</p><p>“They have been conspiring to get Lucifer into the Silver City without me! They made me believe he was dead, so what? So that I might take over as King and be locked down here with … with <em>them</em>?”</p><p>Ezria turns, picks up a cracked marble pillar that holds a small mirror, and with one hand, tosses it towards the balcony of the observatory. It shatters and falls into pieces. The pieces glide across the floor and land just short of the edge of the balcony.</p><p>“I am certain he would not do that to you,” Calmos says, “He has no interest in-“</p><p>“Am I a joke to them?” he interrupts, angry, “to all of them!? My entire life, they have treated me as if I were made for mockery. Well, I am tired of being obedient and agreeable. I am sick of trying to appease them, trying to pretend that they don’t look at me like some <em>lecherous</em> beast.”</p><p>Calmos shakes his head, “You are not a joke, Ezria,” he says, his eyebrows furrowed as if he couldn’t believe anyone would feel that way.</p><p>“I am as I was created! I am a son of God, and I will not be mocked any longer.”</p><p>“You are the King of Hell,” Calmos says, still standing firm in his position.</p><p>The guards have their hands cautiously perched near their blades, but Calmos’ hands are by his side, casually still.</p><p>He hadn’t minded the darkness in Ezria’s eyes, but lately, it seems it comes more often. Lately, it feels like it takes over him, and in those moments, it is hard to pull him away. This is clearly one of those moments.</p><p>“and they will take me seriously. All of them. I will get the respect I deserve one way or another.”</p><p>“I respect you,” Calmos says, “to the void with them if they think you should have anything other than respect and admiration.</p><p>Ezria pauses and turns his head to Calmos. He watches him, the darkness in his eyes moving up and down Calmos’ body. He tilts his head and turns his body to Calmos, his attention all on him now.</p><p>Calmos shifts on his feet, suddenly aware of how uncomfortable he is by how Ezria is staring at him.</p><p>Ezria slowly moves forward, and Calmos stands still, unmoving.</p><p>Ezria gets a few feet from him and pauses, his eyes flipping back and forth between Calmos’ eyes.</p><p>“They will honor us both,” Ezria says, reaching a hand up to graze Calmos’ cheeks.</p><p>He stares at him, even through dark eyes, with so much love that the fear in Calmos’ heart shifts.</p><p>The ink begins to seep from Ezria’s eyes and is replaced by Hazel. Hazel eyes with wide pupils that watch Calmos like he is the most interesting thing in the world.</p><p>“It can’t be all bad,” Calmos says, “you would have never met me if they hadn’t cast you out.”</p><p>Ezria nods then scoffs.</p><p>“A wrong must be made right, Calmos,” he says.</p><p>“I respect you too,” they hear, and their heads turn to find Jeremy the crossroads demon still standing there.</p><p>Ezria’s hand drops from Calmos’ face, and he turns to fully face Jeremy.</p><p>Ezria narrows his eyes and stares before nodding.</p><p>“You have held your end of our agreement,” he says, “You have given me what I want, and so too shall I give you what you want.”</p><p>Jeremy smile widely, “So I … I’m-“</p><p>“Released of your crossroads duties, yes. You may return to your dwelling and life here.”</p><p>Jeremy smiles and nods, “Thank you!” he says gratefully, “Oh. Thank you, My King.”</p><p>He bows his head and turns to leave.</p><p>“Drop your blades off with the guards,” Ezria says before turning back to Calmos.</p><p>Jeremy pauses and turns on his heels.</p><p>“Pardon?”</p><p>Ezria looks at Calmos, his eyes moving down Calmos’ body as he speaks, “Your blades. You won’t be needing them anymore, so give them to the guards on your exit.”</p><p>Jeremy pauses and chuckles a bit as if it is a joke, “My King, I … how will I defend myself?”</p><p>Ezria turns his head to Jeremy.</p><p>“You won’t need to. All demons have had their blades confiscated. If you want to live here, then you will have to follow these orders.”</p><p>“With all due respect, my king,” Jeremy begins, “The halfling still has his blades.</p><p>Ezria narrows his eyes.</p><p>“That is because he is my sentinel. He carries his own blades because he is deemed worthy to carry them,” Ezria says.</p><p>“I … I’m not going to do that,” Jeremy says, “I’m not going to give up my blades.”</p><p>A darkness <em>snaps</em> into Ezria’s eyes again, and he turns to fully face Jeremy. Calmos gasps at how quick that was. Usually, he could see it coming, but …that was fast. Too fast.</p><p>“You will not follow my orders?” Ezria asks flatly as if confirming.</p><p>As if making sure his actions are justifiable before he does anything.</p><p>Jeremy sees the light switch off in Ezria’s eyes and stutters.</p><p>“I- I-“ he begins as Ezria steps one step closer.</p><p>Jeremy reaches into his pockets and pulls out two hooked blades before turning and shoving them into the hands of a nearby guard.</p><p>“Of course, I would!” Jeremy says, “I was just … I just thought- you know … to liven up the-“</p><p>Ezria continues to stare at Jeremy, as if deciding if he wanted to do it anyway. Well, he wants to. He wants to rip this demon limb from limb, but Calmos would have something to say about it.</p><p>Calmos would be <em>disappointed.</em></p><p>He watches Jeremy scurry out of the room and then stands there for much longer than anyone in the room would like him to. He seems to stare out into nothing, the darkness in his eyes not waning.</p><p>He slowly turns back around and walks up to Calmos.</p><p>Ezria stands next to him, turns to face the open door, and just … <em>stares </em>forward, patient as if laying in wait. He squints his eyes, as if reacting to something unseen. His eyes dart back and forth, watching.</p><p>Calmos narrows his eyes. There is something very odd about Ezria’s behavior. As if hearing Calmos’ thoughts, Ezria tilts his head slowly as it turns to Calmos, and they lock eyes.</p><p>Ezria stares, without a word for a moment. Calmos watches him, there is no love behind his eyes. Just a strange stare, as if what he is looking at isn’t quite Ezria. Ezria is there, he can see him just being the veil, but there is something else here too. Something that stares at him in a way that makes Calmos feel …<em>noticed</em>, and not in a good way.</p><p>“I want to see her,” Calmos blurts out.</p><p>Ezria blinks, confused. Then he blinks again, and the ink starts to leave his eyes.</p><p>“Pardon? Who?” he asks.</p><p>“My … my mother,” Calmos says.</p><p>Ezria raises his head and hums in affirmation.</p><p>“Are you certain?” he asks.</p><p>Calmos thinks about it momentarily before nodding.</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>--</p><p>Moments later, inside an old wooden cabin, a lantern flickers on a wooden table. Nearby, a woman weeps over the body of a man. His head is in her lap, and she rocks back and forth. Blood seeps from the side of his head onto her off-white linens.</p><p>The murder weapon, a heavy stone, sits off to the side covered in fresh and shiny blood.</p><p>She cries, “I … I’m sorry,” she says, rocking back and forth.</p><p>Behind her, the door to the cabin opens, and after a few seconds, Calmos enters. He looks around for a moment before his eyes fall on the woman. Ezria enters shortly behind him.</p><p>“What is she doing?” Calmos asks.</p><p>“She is mourning. Humans have their own hell loops. Things they feel most guilty about in life they relive in death.”</p><p>Calmos looks down at the man on the ground, “Who is that?” he asks.</p><p>“That is her husband,” Ezria says, moving forward.</p><p>Calmos reluctantly follows, still very wary.</p><p>This was his mother.</p><p>The woman he had thought he would never meet.</p><p>This was her, or rather her spirit. He doubts he will get a glimpse into her life, the things she loved, and hated, but he can at least see her face. See if she had kind eyes.</p><p>What if her eyes weren’t kind, though?</p><p>Ezria walks in front of her, but she doesn’t look up. She continues to cradle the head of the man in her lap, rocking back and forth.</p><p>“Go on,” Ezria says, insisting Calmos speak with her.</p><p>Calmos looks at Ezria, then slowly and cautiously moves to stand next to the woman. He watches her rock back and forth before slowly crouching to his knees. He looks up at Ezria, and Ezria nods.</p><p>Calmos turns and looks at her. From the side, she is beautiful. Long, dark auburn hair. Freckles on her cheeks and solid green eyes. He stares at her for a moment before he dares to speak.</p><p>“What is your name?” he asks.</p><p>She stops rocking, suddenly brought out of her tunnel vision. She slowly turns to Calmos and looks at him. He lets go of a heavy smile, wondering if she will recognize him. Wondering if she had thought about him.</p><p>She looks at him as if he is a stranger.</p><p>“Emily,” she says, a noticeable Scottish accent. It’s light, almost gone, but its there.</p><p>Calmos happily exhales, not expecting her to answer, let alone in that voice.</p><p>Calmos looks down at the body in front of her.</p><p>“And him?” he asks.</p><p>She turns her head to the man cradled in her arms. She gasps, holding back a wail.</p><p>“Colin,” she says, her voice higher pitched.</p><p>“What happened, Emily?” he asks, scooting forward, closer to her.</p><p>Ezria turns and walks around, examining all manners of the cabin.</p><p>“I … I just wanted him to stop,” she says, tears coming to her eyes, “he wouldn’t stop and … I just wanted him to stop.”</p><p>Calmos, now closer, looks down to see a deep red gash matted in the hairs on the side of Colin’s head.</p><p>“What was he doing?” Calmos asks.</p><p>She shakes her head, not wanting to say. She inhales, a soft hum that sounds like weeping coming from her lips.</p><p>“Was he hurting you?” Calmos asks again</p><p>She nods, her lips pursed as she holds in her wail.</p><p>“I just wanted him to stop,” she repeats, “he was …yelling and hitting. Calling me invalid and worthless because I couldn’t give him a son.”</p><p>She shakes her head, “He wanted a son so badly.”</p><p>Calmos turns to look up at Ezria, who opens the lid of a vase and sniffs it. Deciding he doesn’t like the smell, he covers the vase and moves on.</p><p>“But you have a son,” Calmos says, turning his eyes back to her, “don’t you?”</p><p>She shakes her head, “My boy was taken from me,” she says.</p><p>She turns her eyes to him, and they meet eyes, “he was not of this world.”</p><p>She slowly turns her eyes back down to the man in her lap. She pauses before letting out a wail.</p><p>“Can you help me?” she asks, panicked and trying to wipe her tears away, “I didn’t mean to do it.”</p><p>Calmos shakes his head, “No, I … I can’t help you,” he says.</p><p>She bursts into tears again and leans forward before slowly rocking.</p><p>Calmos looks back up at Ezria, who is at the table, peaking into what they were going to have for dinner.</p><p>“I don’t know what to do,” Calmos says.</p><p>Ezria looks up at him, then down at the woman.</p><p>“This room is devised to keep them in a loop. She will speak with you briefly, but her focus will always be drawn back to that which creates guilt.”</p><p>“What do I do?” Calmos asks.</p><p>Ezria sighs, “Say your peace and leave. There is nothing you can do, Calmos.”</p><p>Calmos grunts and turns back to see her rocking back and forth again.</p><p>He doesn’t accept that answer.</p><p>How the hell is he supposed to give any answers if she keeps-</p><p>He pauses, suddenly having an idea.</p><p>“Look at me,” he says.</p><p>She just rocks back and forth, weeping as warm blood seeps between her fingers.</p><p>“Emily, look at me,” he says, his voice more imperative.</p><p>She sits up and turns her head to him. Instantly, her weeping stops, and she just stares at him.</p><p>At his silver, dead eyes.</p><p>“Gavin?” she asks.</p><p>Ezria pauses and tilts his head, “Gavin?” he says as if that was not the name he thought he would hear.</p><p>“She reaches out with a bloody hand and places it on the side of Calmos’ face.</p><p>“Is that really you?” she asks.</p><p>He reaches up with his hand and holds her hand onto his face.</p><p>“I’m right here,” he says.</p><p>She smiles, joy mixed with regret in her eyes.</p><p>“My sweet boy,” she says.</p><p>Ezria grunts and pops what appears to be a potato into his mouth. He chews momentarily before looking around for salt.</p><p>“I didn’t want to let you go. I wanted to keep you, but …”</p><p>“It’s okay,” Calmos says, shaking his head, “I’m alright. See?”</p><p>He leans back, spreads his hands, and raises his chest as if to say, “Look at me.”</p><p>She smiles and places her hand on his knee.</p><p>The smile lasts only moments before a strange recognition hits her eyes, and they turn down to the body at her feet.</p><p>She gasps as if she had forgotten. Suddenly she is crying again, weeping.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” she says.</p><p>Calmos shakes his head.</p><p>“Please help!,” she says turning to Calmos, “I didn’t mean .. I didn’t mean to-“</p><p>“He’s already dead,” Calmos says, leaning forward and trying to pull her arms off his body. She fights him.</p><p>“No! We have to-“</p><p>“It’s not your fault!” he says.</p><p>“No, I didn’t-” she begins.</p><p>“He would have killed you!” Calmos says, and that makes her take pause.</p><p>She looks at him, staring into his eyes, and he knows he has her there for at least a few more seconds.</p><p>“He would have killed you, and you would be dead! You did nothing wrong. You defended yourself and your family and … and if I were there I would have never-“</p><p>Suddenly, the room is filled with the sound of a baby crying. The clarity in her eyes fall, and she turns to a door that leads to another room.</p><p>“Gavin?” she asks.</p><p>She pulls herself out of Calmos’ arms, and Calmos looks at her oddly as she walks towards the room. He looks down at the ground where the body of the man laid only to find it not there.</p><p>No body, no blood and no rock.</p><p>He looks confused and turns to Ezria.</p><p>Ezria frowns.</p><p>“Humans are full of guilt for many things,” Ezria says.</p><p>“You relieve one, and there are others to take its place. It’s an endless cycle. You could be here for ages trying to cure all of her guilt.”</p><p>“Gavin!” they hear as they turn to see her come out of the room, frantically looking for where the sound of that crying is coming from.</p><p>“Gavin! Mommy’s here baby,” she says, looking into a baby basket, a laundry basket and beneath anything warm and soft that one might temporarily keep a child.</p><p>“it is their guilt that keeps them here, “Ezria says.</p><p>“There you are,” the woman says, relieved.</p><p>They turn to see her pulling a small baby boy from a pile of blankets. His eyes are bright silver, and he kicks his feet happily. She rests him on her shoulder, her hand rubbing his back.</p><p>“Is someone hungry?” she says, “we have to feed you and put you to sleep before papa gets home.”</p><p>Suddenly the door behind them cracks open, and they turn to see Atmos walking in. Calmos’ eyes raise and fall into a furrow.</p><p>“What the fuck?” he asks, leaning forward, ready to end Atmos again.</p><p>Ezria grabs onto Calmos’ arm and holds him back.</p><p>“He’s not real,” Ezria says.</p><p>They watch as Atmos comes in, rips the baby from her arms, and then knocks her to the ground. He leaves the way he came, and she holds her hands out.</p><p>“My baby!” she screams.</p><p>Calmos turns to her and runs to pick her off the floor.</p><p>“He has my baby!” she says, devastated.</p><p>“I’m right here!” Calmos says, trying to draw her attention as she moves to push him out the way, attempting to run after Atmos.</p><p>“I’m right here!” he says as her eyes don’t meet his.</p><p>Instead, they stay locked on the door behind him.</p><p>“Mother!” he yells, and that stops her.</p><p>She turns to him to see him looking back at her with silver eyes.</p><p>“I’m right here!” he says.</p><p>She looks over him for a second before she reaches out to hold him the way a worried mother might hold a child they haven’t seen in forever.</p><p>“I was so scared I lost you,” she says, holding him tightly.</p><p>“I’m right here,” Calmos says as she pulls away.</p><p>She looks at him for a second before her eyebrows furrow.</p><p>“When did you get so big?” she asks.</p><p>“Listen,” Calmos says, realizing he only has a few seconds before the loop resets itself.</p><p>“Atmos the … the blademaker, the blacksmith. He took me as a baby, but I’m okay. See? I’m fine.”</p><p>She looks at him a stillness in her spirit. She looks over him for a second, as is verifying.</p><p>“You’re okay?” she asks.</p><p>He nods, “I am.”</p><p>“and you’re happy?” she asks.</p><p>He nods, “I am.”</p><p>She smiles softly before reaching out and holding onto him.</p><p>He shakes his head, “I am,” Calmos says again. He holds her tight, understanding this moment is temporary. The next loop would come, and he would tackle that, and the one after and so on.</p><p>He closes her eyes and holds her tightly, like he’s never wanted to hold someone so much in his life. Then, he is met with the feeling of cold. He opens his eyes to find he is holding air, and the room they were in is empty.</p><p>He furrows his eyebrows.</p><p>“What? Where did she go?” he says, as the living room peels away into a bright light that fades and is met with falling ash.</p><p>“Huh,” Ezria says as if not expecting that, “You … you broke her loops.”</p><p>“What?” Calmos says, the other wall peeling away into falling ash.</p><p>“You broke her hell loop. Removed her guilt.”</p><p>“You said humans always had guilt,” Calmos says.</p><p>Ezria shakes his head, “I said they seemed to always feel guilty for something. I guess she only had two regrets in her life, and you broke them both.”</p><p>The floor and ceilings break away until they are standing in the middle of a walkway along rows and rows of cells.</p><p>“So what? She just … disappeared??” he asks.</p><p>“Did I … did I kill my mother too!?” he screams.</p><p>Ezria chuckles and shakes his head, “No,” he says, placing a hand on Calmos’ shoulders.</p><p>“Humans are here because of their own guilt. That’s why it’s so easy to run this place, at least the human side. Once they have no more guilt, they have no need to be here so …”</p><p>“They die? They go back to earth? What?” he asks.</p><p>“They go to the silver city,” Ezria says, a fondness in the way he mentions that place.</p><p>Calmos pauses.</p><p>“She’s … she’s in the silver city?” he asks.</p><p>Ezria nods.</p><p>“Rarely ever happens. You can imagine without interference, hell loops are notoriously difficult to break out of. But …its possible.”</p><p>Calmos scoffs, astonished. He smiles a bit to himself, laughing at the absurdity of what just happened.</p><p>He had thought she was in heaven this whole time, and he had finally gotten a chance to hold her, to smell her. To hear her voice.</p><p>But he supposes anywhere was better than this place.</p><p>He sighs.</p><p>“So, I am alone again,” he says to himself.</p><p>Ezria shakes his head, “Never.”</p><p>Calmos inhales deeply, before leaning in and wrapping his arms around Ezria. Ezria stands still for a moment, looks around to make sure no one is watching, then wraps his arms around Calmos.</p><p>“Never,” he repeats.</p><p> </p><p>--</p><p>Inside his bedroom, Father Kyle sleeps peacefully in blue pajamas. After the events of the evening, it’s a wonder how he can even sleep. But it seems the task of figuring out God’s plan, of learning about Angels and Demons.</p><p>It is exhausting.</p><p>So he sleeps peacefully, his hands crossed in front of him as he lays on his side.</p><p>Suddenly a strange breeze rolls through his room. It stirs him momentarily until his brain kicks in, and he springs up in bed, direct out of sleep.</p><p>He looks around for a moment, trying to catch his bearings.</p><p>His hand moves up to clutch a crucifix around his neck.</p><p>“Hello?” he asks, feeling silly the second it leaves his mouth.</p><p>When no one responds, he sighs and collapses back onto the bed.</p><p>He had come directly home after the incident at the church. He had a mind to tell Amenadiel, but what would he do? Take a feather and calm him?</p><p>That wouldn’t help that a demon had entered the holiest of places with ease. That it had harassed him, made him speak words he had no intention of speaking.</p><p>No, he gathered his thoughts, sat at the altar for a few hours then carefully made his way home. When he arrived, he ate, showered, and climbed into bed. It had taken him almost an hour to fall asleep. His mind was running wild, thinking of so many things. If God truly did not want him to find the answer. If that is why he sent a demon with Lucifer’s face.</p><p>Yet, he had wings, Father Kyle thinks.</p><p>He narrows his eyes.</p><p>The snake of Eden, he thinks to himself.</p><p>Another wind blows through his room, and he looks up towards the window to see it closed.</p><p>He grabs his crucifix again.</p><p>“In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy ghost!” he yells with conviction, “I command you to le-“</p><p>Before he can finish, the bible on his dresser blows open. The pages flutter in an impossible wind. He stares at it, eyes wide.</p><p>“I command you to leave this place!” he says, “You are not welcome!”</p><p>The pages continue to flutter until finally, they stop, and the room is still again. Father Kyle looks around, clutching onto his crucifix. Slowly he climbs out of bed, his bare feet hitting the hardwood floors. He walks over to the dresser and stands in front of the open book.</p><p>“Genesis,” he whispers to himself.</p><p>His eyes fall on a verse, his hands come up, and a finger lands on it.</p><p>“And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden,” he whispers to himself, his eyes narrowing.</p><p><em>The snake of Eden,</em> he repeats to himself, his head tilting as he thinks.</p><p>Perhaps it wasn’t a plan to stop him from finding out the answer.</p><p>He shakes his head, “No, perhaps it<em> is</em> the answer,” he says to himself.</p><p>He picks up the bible and walks it to the door to his bedroom. He opens the door, walks down the hall, and enters a small library. Here he sets the book on the desk and reaches for a briefcase on the floor. He opens it and pulls out a thick folder. He sets the folder on the desk and opens it. Pages upon pages of marked print-outs of the lost books are inside.</p><p>“The snake of Eden,” he says to himself as if he were repeating it to hope something unstuck.</p><p>He hums to himself before sifting through the papers.</p><p>“What <em>really</em> happened in the Garden?” he asks himself.</p><p>--</p><p>Down a central pathway, Ezria and Calmos walk silently back towards the spire.</p><p>Ezria turns to a silent but calm Calmos.</p><p>“Cheer up,” he says, “you gave her the best gift she could possibly receive down here.”</p><p>Calmos nods.</p><p>“I know, I’m not upset about that I’m actually … I’m happy,” he says.</p><p>“You are?” Ezria asks, “you don’t look happy.”</p><p>Calmos turns to him and gives him a soft smile, “She had kind eyes,” he says, “and she regretted losing me.”</p><p>Ezria nods, understanding what Calmos means.</p><p>“I guess I didn’t truly understand what it meant to not feel that until I did and …,” he says before sighing.</p><p>“I’m happy,” he says with a smile.</p><p>Ezria smiles back at him and reaches out to take his hand.</p><p>“Oy!” a voice says before their hands connect.</p><p>They pause and turn to see a very buff demon stand up from a chair they just passed. He points at Calmos as he walks into the open path behind them.</p><p>“You’re disgusting,” he says.</p><p>Ezria raises his brow, and Calmos looks at the demon like he is unwell.</p><p>“Excuse me?” Calmos asks.</p><p>“You aren’t fit to be by the angel’s side. The angel needs someone stronger by his side, more worthy. Not some half-human halfling.”</p><p>Calmos looks at the demon, anger developing behind his eyes.</p><p>Ezria starts to chuckle, “That’s not how it works, I’m afraid,” he says.</p><p>Calmos just stares at him, blinking as if he was unbelieving what was happening.</p><p>“I and only I decide who will rule beside me.”</p><p>Calmos and he demon stare at one another, sizing each other up.</p><p>Ezria chuckles and shifts on his legs, “Your jealousy is understandable, but attempting to accost my sentinel is unwise,” he says.</p><p>“Fine,” Calmos agrees.</p><p>Ezria pauses then turns to look at Calmos.</p><p>“Pardon?” he asks, shock on his face.</p><p>“I will defeat you to prove a point,” Calmos says to the demon, “Then I will hear no such nonsense from the others,” he says.</p><p>Ezria shakes his head, “Calmos, this is -“</p><p>“They will always question me,” Calmos says, turning to Ezria, “I will always be seen as illegitimate, as will your rule. They must be taught the new way of things <em>now</em>. Squash the lies of doubt.”</p><p>Calmos turns back to the demon and nods, “So I will do it.”</p><p>Ezria looks unsure as Calmos reaches into his waistband and pulls out two jagged daggers.</p><p>The demon looks at them longingly. Calmos tosses one to the demon, and it clangs onto the floor and slides to his feet.</p><p>The demon reaches down and picks it up. He twists it in his hand, pleased with having a blade again.</p><p>“I command you to stop this right now,” Ezria says, “this is barbaric and-“</p><p>“My King,” Calmos says, turning to Ezria.</p><p>“Allow me to earn my respect,” he says, his eyebrows furrowed in annoyance at Ezria’s behavior.</p><p>Ezria tenses his jaw.</p><p>“Calmos, this is-“</p><p>“Do you not believe I can protect you?” Calmos asks as if slowly understanding that Ezria might think he is weak as well.</p><p>Ezria groans and turns his head away. He lets go of a sigh and reluctantly nods.</p><p>“Very well,” he says, crossing his arms.</p><p>A few demons gather at the commotion and watch.</p><p>Calmos turns to the opposing demon, who begins to slowly circle him, sizing him up. A group of onlookers begin to watch, forming a circle around the two. Ezria stands at the edge, watching reluctantly.</p><p>Calmos watches his opponent intently.</p><p>The demon yells and lunges forward with a swipe. Calmos jumps back and moves out of his way.</p><p>The demon watches him move to the opposite end of the circle. More demons come to see what the commotion is about.</p><p>The demon chuckles.</p><p>“Just like a halfling to run,” he says.</p><p>“Who said I was running?” Calmos asks.</p><p>“Then fight me!” he says, thumping his chest.</p><p>Calmos doesn’t respond, he just watches the demon. Sizing him up.</p><p>The demon purses his lips in rage and runs towards Calmos. He swipes again, but this time Calmos ducks between his large arm and brings his blade up. He slashes a deep gash into the demon’s rib cage as he moves behind him.</p><p>Calmos turns towards the demon and jumps on the tips of his feet, a smile on his face.</p><p>The demon holds his side, blood dripping from it. He turns to Calmos.</p><p>Ezria grins widely.</p><p>“Do you know why I chose him and not you?” Ezria asks.</p><p>The demon turns his glance to Ezria.</p><p>“Because your kind are opportunistic. You care only about your desires and how to achieve them with little regard for others.”</p><p>Calmos keeps an eye on the demon, not taking his attention off the only other demon with a blade.</p><p>“There are few of you who are loyal, but none of you are loyal to a fault. You lack that spirit, that drive,” Ezria continues, “and that is why you are down here. Cast aside like common trash.”</p><p>The demon tenses his jaw, his eyes turning to Calmos. Calmos continues to watch him, his focus only on him.</p><p>“Calmos is a halfling,” Ezria says, his arms crossed and pleased, “He is part human, part demon. His strength and virility are what has allowed him to survive, but his loyalty and honor is what makes him fit to be my sentinel.”</p><p>“Unlike you,” Ezria says before turning to the crowd, “Unlike any of you.”</p><p>The demon yells and moves forward, his blade slashing wildly and hoping to catch Calmos in the the flurry. Calmos spins out the way of each slice equally. He ducks beneath the blade and moves behind the demon. This time the demon is prepared.</p><p>He demon immediately turns and slashes down, slicing Calmos across the back. Calmos winces and rolls to the other side of the circle</p><p>The demon laughs and trudges forward, pure anger in his eyes.</p><p>He slashes downward, and Calmos reaches up, his arm gently rotating and changing the angle of the demon’s force, so the demon ends up slashing to the side instead of down the middle. He completely misses Calmos. With his other hand, his bladed hand, Calmos brings the blade up and slashes one quick gash across the demon’s chest.</p><p>The demon yells in anger, pulls his arm back, and tries again. This time he comes in from the side and tries to stab Calmos in his side.</p><p>Calmos ducks out of the way.</p><p>The demon changes the direction of his arm, trying to slash to the side again, and yet again Calmos changes the momentum of his swipe and counters with a slash of his own.</p><p>This goes on for way too long. The demon slashes, Calmos either ducks or uses his hand to change the momentum of the demon’s swing and lands his own strike.</p><p>Eventually, the crowd that started out cheering just stares on, annoyed at how bad this demon is. Ezria is just chuckling to himself, pleased.</p><p>“Come now, Calmos,” he says eventually, “Stop playing. We have much to do.”</p><p>Calmos sighs, lands a kick to the center mass of the demon, and sends him stumbling backward until he falls down.</p><p>When he falls, it knocks the blade out of his hands. It slides a few feet away.</p><p>Calmos approaches, the silver in his eyes showing. He spins the blade in his hand, getting a grip on it meant to be used for stabbing instead of slicing.</p><p>“My father was a bladesmith,” Calmos says, “He knew how to make them and taught me how use them. He may not have been the greatest man, but he was a great teacher.”</p><p>Calmos steps forward as the demon moves to sip up. He plants his foot on the demon’s chest, keeping him to the ground.</p><p>“You know why I am here, and you aren’t?” he asks.</p><p>The demon turns to see how far away the blade is.</p><p>“Because I’ve had to fight since I was brought here. My father, you lot. Not a millennia goes by where I haven’t sent someone to the void.”</p><p>“Calmos,” Ezria says, “Now you’re just showing off.”</p><p>Calmos turns to look at Ezria. Ezria grins a little.</p><p>“I like it,” Ezria says, tilting his head, arousal growing behind his gaze.</p><p>Calmos chuckles and turns back to the demon. His smile falls.</p><p>Calmos leans down, his blade pointed forward.</p><p>He reaches down, grabs the shirt of the demon, and pulls his torso up so that it meets with the edge of the blade.</p><p>“You won’t be missed,” Calmos says before he stabs his knife forward into the demon’s belly.</p><p>Calmos holds it there, staring into his eyes. Calmos doesn’t dare to look away, even as the heat of the blade burns into his skin.</p><p>He watches as the line of fire crawls up the demon’s face and dances across his pupils. Then he sees the small spark erupt in the demon’s eyes before it spreads to the rest of his body, and in an instant, the demon explodes into embers.</p><p>Calmos kneels there for a moment, before looking down at the cooling blade in his hand. He turns and looks up at Ezria, who donns a wide grin and jet black eyes. He then turns to look around at the demons who are now silent, watching.</p><p>He stands and says nothing for a long time.</p><p>“Any other challengers?” he asks.</p><p>The demons look at one another, unsure.</p><p>He watches them for a moment, poised on high alert. He narrows his eyes and nods, the silver flipping from his eyes.</p><p>“Then I shall not have this talk about me being weak again,” he says, “the angel has made his decision. We are not worthy of questioning it.”</p><p>The demons look warily at each other.</p><p>Calmos turns to retrieve his stray blade before pausing. He looks around only to find his blade is gone.</p><p>“Who took my dagger?” he asks.</p><p>Ezria’s smile falls.</p><p>Calmos looks around as do the demons.</p><p>“Which one of you has stolen my dagger?” Calmos asks again.</p><p>Ezria unfurls his arms and steps forward.</p><p>“Blades are forbidden,” he says, “whoever is in possession of his blade should return it at once or risk punishment by death.”</p><p>No one says anything, they all just hem and haw and look around. A few of the demons snicker to themselves while others walk away, as if sensing impending doom.</p><p>Ezria narrows his eyes.</p><p>“So be it,” Ezria says before nodding to one of the guards.</p><p>The guard nods back and waves at four more guards nearby.</p><p>They begin to weave between the crowd, checking and eying everyone.</p><p>“Come, Calmos,” Ezria says, turning and heading towards the tower, “I have much to discuss with you.”</p><p>Calmos nods and follows Ezria.</p><p>“Discuss My King?” he asks, tucking his blade into his belt, “Or shall you be using your mouth for other-“ he begins to say.</p><p>Suddenly, he hears a deep wail followed by a piercing and warm pain in his back. He pauses and turns behind him to be faced with a wide-eyed Jeremy.</p><p>Jeremy looks shocked before scoffing in amazement, “It worked!” he says, “I … I did it!”</p><p>Ezria turns, and his face of confusion falls or horror as he sees a demon blade jammed into Calmos’ back. It has already begun to heat up.</p><p>“No!” he yells.</p><p>He runs forward, grabs the blade, and <em>yanks</em> it out of Calmos’ back. A string of molten fire comes off the knife, like a wooden spoon in honey.</p><p>Calmos stands, staring at Jeremy in shock.</p><p>“What have you done?” Calmos asks, fear in his eyes.</p><p>The fear isn’t about the void, or death but rather his absence.</p><p>About what might happen when there is no one there to temper the darkness in Ezria’s eyes.</p><p>It had gotten worse since his return from earth. Worse since his discovery of Lucifer’s change.</p><p>“You… you don’t know what you’ve done,” Calmos says.</p><p>Calmos looks at his hands, the fire crawling up his arms. The crawl is slow, much slower than if the blade was inside of him, but it is there. It creeps up his veins and colors his skin with the hot seer of fire. It burns and itches, but no amount of scratching or wiping could make it stop. It was inside of him, slowly eating away at his center.</p><p>Ezria shakes his head, “No, no, no, I took the blade out! You ... you should be fine.’</p><p>Calmos turns to Ezria, his eyes starting to tear up.</p><p>“I am unwell, My King,” he says.</p><p>Ezria’s eyes begin to well with tears. He blinks to clear it.</p><p>“I can help, I …I can fix this,” he says.</p><p>His wings pop out, slicing a few demons nearby. They move out the way, their arms bleeding, but Ezria doesn’t seem to care. He reaches back and pulls a feather from his wing.</p><p>Ezria then places it, palm down on the wound. The feather glows brightly with light, but the light fizzles, and when Ezria moves his hand back, he is only met with burnt ash on his skin.</p><p>“Wha –“ he says before reaching back and pulling another feather.</p><p>He does it again, only to get the same results.</p><p>The fire is spreading towards Calmos’s neck now, it crawls up his jugular slowly.</p><p>Calmos collapses to his knees. His eyes turn to the blade at his feet. It still is heated, his blood having filtered into the grooves into the etching. The fire still crawls through him, as if the blade were still in him. It taints every piece of untouched skin it comes into contact with.</p><p>Calmos scoffs, death by his own blade. How stupid.</p><p>“No!” Ezria says, shaking his head, “No you … no this can’t be.”</p><p>Ezria kneels next to Calmos, holding him up as he wants to collapse to the floor. It feels like he wants to sleep.</p><p><em>Sleep,</em> he thinks, he remembers sleep.</p><p>He wonders if there are dreams in the void.</p><p>Calmos chuckles and shakes his head.</p><p>“I suppose it only fitting,” he says, understanding the irony.</p><p>“That I be punished for the crimes of my father.”</p><p>Ezria shakes his head, “No, please,” Ezria says, his voice shaky.</p><p>“It’s okay, My King,” Calmos says, blinking as he feels the fire begin to crawl into the corner of his eyes.</p><p>It itches.</p><p>“It doesn’t hurt,” Calmos says, lying.</p><p>He knows very well that it hurts. It burns. It itches.</p><p>Even as he says that his back arcs in pain and his face – no matter how calm he is trying to look – is tight with a grimace.</p><p>“Hey,” Calmos says, putting on a smile, “at least I won't die a virgin, right? That’s something.”</p><p>Ezria shakes his head, “I … please, I don’t want you to go.”</p><p>Ezria brings a hand up and pulls Calmos’ face close to him. He rests his forehead on Calmos’, not caring who sees.</p><p>“If only it were up to me,” Calmos, whispers his voice suddenly sounding sad.</p><p>The fire begins to crawl across his iris.</p><p>“I would-“ Calmos begins, the fire meeting in the center of his pupils, “stay … for … for...”</p><p>Ezria leans in and kisses him deeply, silencing his speech. He shuts his eyes tightly, wanting to block it out, and for a second, it works.</p><p>For a second, it’s just them, sharing a kiss.</p><p>For a second, this isn’t happening, and it’s just them, in this moment.</p><p>For a second, everything is alright.</p><p>Then, Ezria feels alone.</p><p>More alone than he’s ever felt.</p><p>He opens his eyes in time to see embers falling through his fingertips into a pile on the ground.</p><p>Ezria kneels there, by the pile of quickly cooling ash, tears dripping from his eyes. He stares, his eyes wide as if he had no words or thought to express his desolation. He stares for so long the tears begin to turn black. He stares for so long that his head begins to shake, an unnatural shiver in his body.</p><p>His lip rises into a strange, wide grin.</p><p>He stares for so long that his pupils crack like broken glass. This time, when the ink enters his eyes, it doesn’t seep or flow like a river. It breaks; it shatters.</p><p>He growls lowly as if it is his breath that is making that noise, this peculiar purr.</p><p>Slowly his eyes turn up to see Jeremy standing there. Jeremy’s joy in his supposed new station has long since faded. When Jeremy realizes Ezria is staring at him, he slowly backs up.</p><p>“I … I’m your sentinel now,” he says, as if talking sense into Ezria.</p><p>Ezria’s hand reaches for the slowly cooling blade on the ground, the only thing left of Calmos. He slowly stands, his eyes jet black and wide.</p><p>He walks forward, an uneasy gait in his body. He is a mountain that has no intention of being moved, and demons in the way of wings move away from him.</p><p>“or … or you know you can choose,” Jeremy says, suddenly regretting his decision by the way Ezria is looking at him.</p><p>The blades on the edges of his wings scrap the ground, cutting deep lines into the rocky soil.</p><p>Ezria continues to walk towards him. Jeremy turns and runs a few feet.</p><p>He doesn’t get far before Ezria spikes the blade in his hand towards Jeremy. It lands with so much force it lodges in the back of his arm and forces him to faceplant on the ground.</p><p>Jeremy’s blood pours into the etching on the blade, and it starts to heat up. He groans and turns onto his back before yanking the blade out.</p><p>He tosses it to the ground as it begins to burn his hand. The fire starts to crawl up his arm.</p><p>He holds onto it, then turns to Ezria.</p><p>“It is done!” he says, seeing how Ezria continues to walk towards him with tunnel vision.</p><p>A singular intention and want in his mind.</p><p>It does not feel good to be the sole arbiter of his attention right now.</p><p>Ezria says nothing, there is nothing that can be said. Nothing that can be done to take away the hurt. To bring Calmos back.</p><p>Ezria sees the fire about to hit Jeremy’s shoulder. In one swift move, he brings a wing up and slices Jeremy’s arm off at the shoulder joint. The arm falls to the floor before Jeremy realizes what happened.</p><p>He sees the arm on the ground before the pain registers. He drops to his knees, holding the open and bloody wound of his arm, screaming.</p><p>Demons nearby gasp, others grin, ready to see some violence for a change.</p><p>The arm on the ground bursts into embers, and the realization from nearby demons on how to handle demon blades is audible.</p><p>Like the thought hadn’t occurred to them that they could cut off afflicted limbs.</p><p>Ezria reaches Jeremy, his eyes staring directly into him, imagining the ways in which he could torture him.</p><p>Jeremy screams and looks up to see Ezria standing in front of him. His scream falls to a whimper, then silence. There is too much silence here.</p><p>Jeremy slowly stands up, his head lowered, and his hand still gripping at his shoulder. When he stands, cautiously, he raises his eyesight to find Ezria staring down on him.</p><p>Jeremy’s eyes Flick back and forth between the endless darkness of Ezria’s eyes. Ezria stares at him, a hatred so pure that Jeremy visibly shrinks.</p><p>“I-“ he begins to say before Ezria’s hand comes up. It is quick, like the bite of a cobra.</p><p>Ezria grabs onto Jeremy’s tongue and holds it for a second, his nail digging into it to keep Jeremy from sliding it back into his mouth. Jeremy brings his hand up – his only hand – to release Ezria’s grip, but before he can do that Ezria pulls back, ripping his tongue from his mouth.</p><p>Jeremy screams again, blood falling from his mouth now. The pain is audible, and the watching demons groan in response to the act. Some clap, others don’t know what to feel.</p><p>But Ezria seems unaffected.</p><p>He tosses the tongue to the ground like it is nothing.</p><p>Jeremy releases a high-pitched sound. It sounds like fear. It pleases Ezria. Jeremy kneels to the ground, trying to decide between holding his still bleeding arm or his now bleeding mouth. A pool of blood develops around him and be starts to become lightheaded.</p><p>Ezria looks around, glancing at the onlookers, the revelers. Some of them look eager to see more while others look wary.</p><p>He stares at them, the darkness in his eyes jumping between each one. Then his eyes land on the pile of ash again. He stares at it with longing, but he doesn’t say anything for a long while.</p><p>Jeremy collapses flat to the ground, pale from blood loss. Ezria turns to him, to see his eyes losing focus.</p><p>Then he turns his eyes back to the ground.</p><p>When he finally speaks, his voice sounds different. It is layered with a natural echo. There is Ezria’s voice, but a voice, unlike his, one that seems unnatural. Like it is from a world, unlike anything anyone has ever known. It is ungodly and bellows with a deep bass that shakes the organs of anyone who hears it.</p><p>“You are all unworthy,” he says, glancing around, “you are parasites.”</p><p>He looks around, taking in everyone who is still there. It is but a small fraction of Hell’s inhabitants, but it will be enough to get his word across. They will leave here and tell the others.</p><p>“You do not understand loyalty or obedience,” he continues, “you only care about destruction, pain, and death. Of what<em> you</em> desire above all else.”</p><p>He turns his eyes to Jeremy, already falling in and out of consciousness.</p><p>“Let it be known there is only<em> one</em> desire here that matters,” he says, “and since you do not understand when I speak to you with logic, allow me to speak your language.”</p><p>Instantly his wings spike up, like a scorpion’s tail, the blade catching off nearby candlelight. He tosses his shoulder forward, and a single blade lands deep into Jeremy’s gut, pinning him to the ground. The pain is just enough to bring him out of slipping into unconsciousness, and he reaches up to grab the blade, trying to pull it out as he screams – blood on his teeth.</p><p>He tries but only succeeds in cutting his hand on the blade.</p><p>He mouths and mutters something, but without a tongue, there is little coherence to his words.</p><p>Ezria juts the other blade forward, it too cutting deep into Jeremy’s gut, just inches above where his other blade is.</p><p>Jeremy groans again and starts to openly wail and scream.</p><p>Nearby demons grin wide, and yet again, others cover their mouths, aghast.</p><p>Slowly, excruciatingly slowly, Ezria begins to pull the blades apart, slowly slicing Jeremy down his center.</p><p>He screams and wails in pain before eventually, the pain is too much, and the blood loss too great. He falls unconscious, then still, then dead.</p><p>But these aren’t demon blades. They don’t burn his flesh from the inside out, destroy the body until there is nothing left but ash.</p><p>No, these blades leave a body behind. One that Ezria doesn’t want to see.</p><p>Once Jeremy stops moving, and there is no need to draw it out, Ezria quickly finishes slicing him in half. Then, he growls and grunts through slicing up what is left behind into smaller pieces. Blood flies everywhere, much like the demon in the lagoon. Except this time, his execution is not private.</p><p>The demons who were enjoying this, now just stare on in awe and horror. Unsure of what to make of this display. Violence was fun and interesting to them, but this … this was graphic.</p><p>They had severed many limbs off of humans before, but they had never wailed on them until their body was blood and mush on the ground.</p><p>And that is what Ezria leaves behind. He slices and grunts and jabs the blades from his wings. When they clearly don’t slice anymore, he falls to his knees and gets his hands in there. Punching at the earth and pounding until there is nothing left of Jeremy but a pool of blood and mush.</p><p>When Ezria finally stops, when he is pulled out of his rage and grief and sits back to see what he has done, he pants and grunts. There is a strange purr coming from him still. Slowly his eyes move up, and he sees demons staring at him, fear in their eyes. Slowly he stands, blood staining the front of his white robe and dripping down his knees.</p><p>He pants, his chest rising and falling.</p><p>“You are here to please me,” he says eventually, his voice booming and with very little room for interpretation, “without me, you are nothing! You are insignificant.”</p><p>They look at him, angry but not interested in disagreeing.</p><p>“Now go before I ruin you all,” he yells, pointing with bloody fingers.</p><p>They turn and leave Ezria there with two piles of ash and a growing puddle of blood. He grunts and turns his view to the pile of ash that used to be Calmos.</p><p>He stares at it for a long time, the anger fading into something more visceral.</p><p>Into something more painful.</p><p>---</p><p>In his penthouse, Chloe lays on the top step between Lucifer’s living room and bedroom with her shirt wide open and her bra pushed up to her neck. Between her legs, Lucifer kneels on a step, his mouth latched onto one of her breasts. She squirms beneath him, her hands running through his hair.</p><p>She stares upwards at his ceiling, her neck red and her jaw slack.</p><p>She should stop this.</p><p>She should absolutely stop this.</p><p>She should not lead him on or pretend like they could pick up where they left off. It had been two years. It had been six months too late.</p><p>She was with Jack now, and Jack was kind. He was smart and responsible, and the type of man she <em>should </em>be with.</p><p>But her mind was a place of logic and hurt, and her body was promising to fix it.</p><p>How can she say no to his touch when she had been crying over it for nearly two years?</p><p>How can she Ignore how she feels when he stares at her with those impossibly dark eyes. When she can feel his love burning a hole into her chest.</p><p>Their love had been a message in a bottle. The air inside of it had been stagnant and sealed</p><p>His return was supposed to feel like relief.</p><p>Instead, he had popped the cork on years of bottled-up anger and grief.</p><p>This is what their heartache looks like.</p><p>This is grief for what could have been. For what had been lost to time and God.</p><p>She should absolutely stop this, yes, but she doesn’t. Instead, she lets her body feel what it had been begging to feel for two years now.</p><p>Something, anything other than the feeling of leaving something undone, unfinished.</p><p>Maybe that is what this was? Closure. Closure in the only way they knew how.</p><p><em>She should stop this</em>, she thinks again, <em>she absolutely should</em>.</p><p>But logic doesn’t fuel the part of her brain that commands her hands. The hands that reach down between her legs and slide into his unbuttoned pants to take hold of his full erection.</p><p>It is hot and warm, and just how she remembers it.</p><p>He releases his suction on her breast and reaches down to her pants, both fumbling over one another, trying to get their buttons undone, and the zippers pulled down.</p><p>She wraps her hand around his shaft and begins to twist her palm around it from the base to the tip.</p><p>“Oh,” he groans.</p><p>She sits up, pushing him off her and sitting on the steps. Here she sits on the top step, leans forward, and wills her mouth to wrap around the head of his cock. He begins pulling the cloth of his pants down more so she has better access.</p><p>She fits as much as she can of him into her mouth, remembering how he tastes and what he likes. If it had been their first time, she would have had trouble, but she finds it is just like riding a bike.</p><p>He begins to move his hips slowly, to match the push and pull of her hand and mouth. Her eyes watch him, and he stares back with love and sadness still burning behind his eyes.</p><p>He visibly shudders and sharply inhales. He curls his hand around her head and pulls her into him, driving him deeper into her throat. She manages for a few seconds before she gags, and he pulls away.</p><p>This would be the perfect time to say something cheeky. A quip or, at the very least, chastise her for not working on her gag reflex in his absence. But he doesn’t. The thought doesn’t even cross his mind.</p><p>He grabs her hands and gently removes them from his cock as he stands up. She sits back, and she wipes the spit from her mouth. He kicks off his pants as she peels her shirt and bra off of her. He reaches down and grabs her around her waist and tosses her over his shoulder. She yelps, and he approaches the bar to sets her down on top of it. Frantically, he slides her pants and panties down and off her legs. He spreads her legs and leans down, immediately planting his mouth on her pussy.</p><p>“Mm,” she says, her hand reaching down to slide through the strands of his hair. He looks up, and his eyes meet hers.</p><p>He licks her, and she bites her lip, her breath becoming more ragged.</p><p>“Lucifer,” she moans as she leans as far back on the bar as she can, her torso slightly dipping below the back edge of the bar.</p><p>Like the last time they used sex to say what words had trouble saying, she whispers his name as if he were the only one who could help. The only one who would understand the feeling that burns within her.</p><p>Unlike last time, however, the sound of his name doesn’t stop him. It doesn’t stop her.</p><p>It had been years since she last moaned that name out loud, but she finds it drips easily from her tongue, like a language she hasn’t spoken in forever but somehow didn’t forget.</p><p>He reaches up and runs his hand across her breast, and down her side before clasping around her ribs. His thumb barely brushes the underside of her breast. She sits back up, to see his face still planted firmly between her legs, his tongue doing flicks and circles around her clit before plunging into her.</p><p>The thought that Jack couldn’t do this enters her mind, and she feels the slight pang of guilt. She shouldn’t be doing this, she thinks, she absolutely-</p><p>He closes his lips around her clit and softly sucks.</p><p>“Mm,” she moans, leaning back again.</p><p>She had missed this the most. He was a magician when it came to oral. Able to pull sounds out of her that she didn’t even know she could make.</p><p>Lucifer removes himself from her, and she sits up, wondering why he stopped. Gently he places his hand beneath her butt and flips her over, so she’s lying on her stomach over the bar. The speed of his movement whips Chloe’s ponytail from side to side with such a haste that it pops the cheap band keeping it in place. Her golden hair cascades apart and into her face. It’s one smooth move that leaves her not enough time to process before his tongue is back inside her as she leans over the bar.</p><p>She raises herself up, grabbing the edge of the bar, and sees herself in the mirror. It is a sharp reality of how she feels versus how she looks. There, draped over the edge of the bar, she lays naked, hair wild, her chest red and flushed, and Lucifer’s hands on either side of her waist as he presses his tongue deeper into her.</p><p>She closes her eyes and looks down, unable to face herself. If someone had told her she would be in this position when she first met the handsome – and literal – devil, she would have shot them that look and probably also shot them.</p><p>If Jack found out …</p><p>Again, she is swept with the shame and guilt for what she was doing. She was with Jack. She had made love to him earlier. Not being satisfied wasn’t an excuse for this. It wasn’t an excuse to cheat.</p><p>She was a cheater.</p><p>She raises her eyes back to the mirror, to face herself, to look at what she had become.</p><p>Had Lucifer done this to her?</p><p>She stares at herself into her furrowed eyebrows of judgment slowly fall to understanding. This was outside of their world. Lucifer was an Angel dealing with a lapse of time. For her, it had been two years, but for him it had been only a few moments.</p><p>He was still madly in love with her.</p><p>And now, even after so long, he was worshipping her body as if he never left the religion. He was giving her permission to be the sexual being that she never thought she was, and she missed that. She missed the experimentation, the sideways glances, and the gentle whispers in her ear.</p><p>The pressure of Lucifer sinking a finger into her, followed by a second knocks her out of that thought as she looks back up to see the same image as before. Only in the mirror now, He stands to the side of her, watching her; her juices painted on his face like some sort of sexual paint by numbers.</p><p>“Oh My..,” she exclaims, careful not to finish that sentence.</p><p>She forgot how long his fingers were. Her knuckles grip tightly to the edge of the bar as she both tries to keep from falling into the sink below.</p><p>She begins to push back on him, helping his stroking of her insides.</p><p>Jack never did this, she thinks, at least not like this.</p><p>Her eyes move up to him to find him staring back at her with such care and devotion.</p><p>He didn’t judge her for what they were doing. He understood.</p><p>He stares deep into her eyes as his fingers slide in and out of her. Her eyes move over to her own form, and she looks away, overcome with shame again.</p><p>“Don’t look away,” he says, a sultriness to his voice, “I want you to see what I see.”</p><p>Cautiously she looks back at herself in the mirror. Her eyes still wild, her chest still flushed, and her breathing labored. She wants to close her eyes as she feels another wave about to hit her, but she tries not to. It doesn’t work as her eyes roll back into her head, and she moans again.</p><p>When her eyes return to her normal position to see her self in the mirror, Lucifer is gone. She turns around to see him kneeling on the floor as he slides himself in front of her.</p><p>“What are you doing?” she says, between heavy breaths.</p><p>He doesn’t respond as he hooks his forearms around her thighs and pulls her down off the bar so that she hangs – precariously- off the edge. He wraps her legs around his shoulders so that his mouth is right where he wants it to be. Chloe clings for dear life to the edge of the bar, trying not to fall but very aware Lucifer could hold her weight.</p><p>In this position, through the mirror, she looks like she is just sitting at the bar, but she knows better. Lucifer’s fingers dive into her again as his tongue dances around her clit. She grabs on tight to the edge of the bar. This time it is not because she feels she might fall, but because she needs something to hold onto.</p><p>To keep her body from fully falling slack as he overloads her system and electric impulses of pleasure fire to her brain.</p><p>“Lucifer!” she screams, hearing the sounds of his fingers sliding in and out of her wetness.</p><p>She tightens her grip, angry at herself that she hadn’t stayed home. Angry that she had to be reminded about how great Lucifer was and how much of a novice Jack was.</p><p>Jack could never.</p><p>She looks up and watches herself in the mirror, her breast gently tremor with every new movement of his hand. She reaches down and grabs his hair, holding him in the spot where he is.</p><p>Her eyes close, and her head tilting back, “Don’t stop,” she begs as she begins to round the corner of her orgasm.</p><p>Lucifer looks up at her, through her legs he can only make out the underside of her breasts as her head tilts back. Even without seeing her face or making eye contact, he knows he would never dare; not when she is so close.</p><p>Then, an orgasm hits her, and her jaw slacks as her body is tossed into a warm pool of electricity. The feeling runs up her spine, then down her legs, and threatens to steal her voice. When she regains control of her vocal cords she lets out an elongated moan. She stays there momentarily, his tongue lapping her softly until she slowly pulls her self away from the bar.</p><p>She climbs down off his shoulders, and she stands up.</p><p>He stands and moves behind her before leaning down and kissing her neck. He squats, and she can feel his hand moving between her legs before she gasps as he enters her from behind. There, against the bar, he grinds into her before leaning down and tilting her head up, forcing her to look in the mirror.</p><p>Here she stands unable to look away as Lucifer behind her gyrating against her body.</p><p>“Do you feel me?” he asks, making sure he’s as deep in her as he can be.</p><p>She moans and places a hand on the top of the bar.</p><p>“I only ever want the best for you, Chloe,” he says softly in her ear, “your life is a life that should be devoid of me. Of all the pain I bring.”</p><p>She shakes her head, ready to say no. But before she can speak, he shuts her up by thrusting hard into her.</p><p>It forces her to gasp and reach a hand behind her, holding onto his hip.</p><p>Then she turns to watch him in the mirror. Here they stare at each other, his hips gyrating into her, pistoning into her in very small intervals.</p><p>“Don’t wait for me anymore,” he says sadly, “I would never forgive myself.”</p><p>He reaches out and plants both hands on the bartop to gain grip before she turns her head to stare into his eyes. There, they stare at each other with nothing between them to filter their glance.</p><p>He watches her as his thrusts become faster and more powerful, each new thrust sending a loud crack through the room as their naked skin collides. Every time he is fully inside of her, he pauses and pushes against her inside, making her release the most delightful sound he has ever heard. She reaches out and sets her hands onto his, gripping them as he pounds her from behind.</p><p>“Chloe,” he musters in between his own grunts and moans.</p><p>“Yes,” she begs, “say my name.”</p><p>“Chloe,” he whispers again.</p><p>“Lucifer,” she whimpers.</p><p>Lucifer continues pumping his hips into her, and her whimper turns into a moan laced with curses. She arches her back and pushes her body back against him. He slides his hands off the bar and plants them on her hips, holding onto her body as he continues to pound her from behind.</p><p>“Yess,” she whines as she closes her eyes tightly, a look of pained pleasure washing over her.</p><p>He reaches out, grabbing her arms and pulls them behind her before folding them across her back. Here, he grips her crossed wrists in one hand while the other holds onto her hips. Her shoulders hit the top of the bar, her arms pulled back and restrained.</p><p>She gasps, then whines.</p><p>“Please,” she begs, her voice high pitched and breathy.</p><p>He continues his thrust, his jaw opening wide as he sucks in more air.</p><p>More air is more energy, his hips clapping up against her rear end. Every pull from her body returning wetter than the last.</p><p>“Please,” she whines again.</p><p>He groans.</p><p>She shifts her head up so that she can see the mirror on the other side of the bar. Here she can see him staring down between them, his hand reached forward to hold hers behind her back. It was out of her control. Something that could not be undone, she thinks, and that idea allows her to stare at herself.</p><p>To see herself for the first time since she got married. Since she had a child and became a mom. Since before she had to become the professional, kick-ass Detective that got things done and was <em>never </em>a sexual object.</p><p>Except in this instance. Except in this moment where she wanted to be. She wanted to be sexual.</p><p>They were two sexual objects, Lucifer and her, and together they could objectify one another.</p><p>Here, they would make love one final time.</p><p>Correction, they would fuck one final time, and she would go back to Jack, and Lucifer would go back to hell.</p><p>Closure. <em>Real</em> closure.</p><p>Her eyes roll back in her head, concentrating on the grip he has on her wrist.</p><p>Her head rotates back so she can see behind him. He’s moved the hand off her waist now, and it instead holds up his shirt, revealing his abs. They flex and tighten with each new thrust.</p><p>“Tell me what you like about it,” she says, turning to him.</p><p>His eyes arc up to her before a grin comes onto his face. He loved her dirty talk.</p><p>“What I like about your body? Or specifically, your pussy?” he asks.</p><p>She just stares at him, as if the answer was obvious.</p><p>He hums in approval.</p><p>“I like how wet it is,” he says between breaths, “I especially enjoy how warm and tight it is.”</p><p>She bites her lip, her body relaxing into the bar top.</p><p>“Though by far the best part is probably me,” he says,” how deep you let me go.”</p><p>“Of course you think that,” she says breathily, her eyes closing as he continues to thrust into her.</p><p>“By far the best pussy I’ve ever had the honor of being inside,” he says.</p><p>“Yeah?” she asks, her voice high pitched.</p><p>“Naturally,” he says.</p><p>“Please,” she begs again.</p><p>“Does Jack fuck you like this?” he asks.</p><p>She shakes her head no, her body pushing back against him with urgency.</p><p>“Say it,” he says, “say no one fucks you like me.”</p><p>She mumbles, her brain not thinking about thinking.</p><p>“Come on Chloe,” he says, leaning forward, stopping his thrusts.</p><p>She gyrates against him, whining for him to continue. She was so close.</p><p>“Does he fuck you like I do?” Lucifer asks into her ear.</p><p>She visibly shudders, and he can feel her body pulse around him. He grins.</p><p>“No,” Chloe huffs, “Nobody fucks me like you do.”</p><p>He grins and leans back, grinding into her again, their bodies arcing in a circular motion, both trying to get him as deep as she will let him.</p><p>“How long has it been since you saw stars when you came?” he asks.</p><p>She doesn’t respond, she just continues to concentrate, her body pushing back against him, trying to get him to move inside of her.</p><p>He hums grimly, “Then allow me,” he says.</p><p>He takes his free hand and grabs her hip again, pulling her onto him as he goes back into devoting all his energy into pounding her.</p><p>“Yes!” she gasps, “Oh, fuck. Please!”</p><p>He thrusts into her, their naked skin again slapping onto one another, his thighs hitting the back of hers.</p><p>Her moans get tenser and high pitched.</p><p>Then, without warning, he releases her waist with his hand and pulls his hands up to his face. Here he licks his thumb before reaching out and rubbing the sensitive muscles of her asshole with it.</p><p>She gasps.</p><p>“Lucifer!” she says, half enjoying, half repulsed.</p><p>Before she can even pretend to hate it, though, her body gives her away, and she is flung into the expanse of the universe with an orgasm two years in the making.</p><p>She doesn’t even try to remain silent. She wails and digs her shoulders into the top of the bar.</p><p>Lucifer lets go a pleased and astounding sound as he feels her orgasm around him. He continues to rub her asshole, her body shivering and tremoring beneath his touch.</p><p>It is clear this isn’t just any orgasm, it is long and deep, and she visibly shakes through it.</p><p>He groans and reels up, his thrusting short and powerful. His hands grip tighter to her wrists before he stops, pushing himself deeper into her as he groans and begins to fill her with his seed.</p><p>Together they ride the wave of their orgasms. She pushes back into him as he holds himself into her. The warmth of him spreads through her body, and she softly hums.</p><p>He gives a few short thrusts, stimulating himself as his muscles tense and burst and empties himself into her. When he is done, he grunts and slowly pulls himself out. He stands back, his erection starting to deflate. He looks down at it and tilts his head, disappointed.</p><p>“Useless,” he scoffs.</p><p>Chloe pulls herself to lay over the bar, coming down from what was probably the best orgasm she’s ever had. Not to say anything of that stunt, Lucifer pulled at the end, but it worked.</p><p>It did something.</p><p>She slowly looks up, to see her self panting in the mirror. The longer she looks, the sadder her eyes get.</p><p>She turns to see him pulling his pants up and zipping them. Their eyes meet, and she finds him looking at her with the same look.</p><p>Sad and unsure.</p><p>She pulls a strand of hair behind her ear and gathers her clothing. They get dressed in silence.</p><p>Lucifer pours a glass of water as she slips on her pants and buttons them.</p><p>When she has the last button of her shirt buttoned, Lucifer approaches her and hands her the glass of water.</p><p>“Thanks,” she says softly before taking a sip.</p><p>He stands there, unsure of what to say now.</p><p>“I feel … lost,” she offers, her eyes staring at the ground.</p><p>He sighs and nods, “As do I,” he says.</p><p>She looks up at him, and he offers her a small smile.</p><p>“But you don’t have to,” he says, “I know for a fact you will be happy.”</p><p>She shakes her head, “you’re going back to hell. How does that make me happy?”</p><p>His smile falls, “I’m going back so that you<em> can</em> be happy, Detective.”</p><p>She scoffs and walks over to the bar to set the glass down.</p><p>“How do you think that makes me feel to hear you are going back because of me,” she says.</p><p>“I’m going back for you, not because of you,” he says, “there is a difference.”</p><p>“No, there isn’t,” she says, turning to him.”</p><p>“Chloe, you are right,” he says, “Jack, or any other mortal you choose, won’t make you wait.”</p><p>“I don’t want Jack, I want you,” she says.</p><p>He approaches her and wraps his arms around her. She sets her head in his chest.</p><p>He sighs, holding her tightly.</p><p>“Darling, sometimes what we desire isn’t what we need,” he says before pausing.</p><p>He narrows his eyes.</p><p>Where has he heard that before? That was an odd sentiment for him. He turns his head up to the sky, annoyed.</p><p>Is that Father’s big lesson then? That we shouldn’t get everything, we desire?</p><p>Lucifer scoffs and pulls Chloe closer.</p><p>“Please don’t go,” she says sadly.</p><p>He sighs and rocks her, “What is done is done, Detective. I am a man of my word.”</p><p>She pulls him closer and doesn’t even try to hide the fact that she has started to cry.</p><p>He holds her tight, and they stand there for a very long time, just holding one another.</p><p>“I wished for you,” she says after a while, “for my birthday.”</p><p>He chuckles, “I believe you got your gift and then some,” he says.</p><p>She lets go of him and punches him playfully on the chest. He huffs and rubs his chest. That actually hurt a little. Their smiles fall back into silence.</p><p>“I have an idea,” he pipes up after a long time, “how about we gather everyone around for dinner tomorrow. Say a real goodbye, yeah?”</p><p>Chloe crosses her arms and nods, “Yeah I … I guess. Though, Maze is pretty mad at you still, so I don’t know how that will work.”</p><p>Lucifer chuckles, “Mazikeen is often mad at me for things, but she will eventually come around. Besides, it will be good for us to clear the air before I go. It might also give me a chance to say a proper goodbye to the urchin,” he says.</p><p>Chloe’s eyes turn to him, and she crosses her arms again.</p><p>“Uh … right, about that,” she says, bringing a hand up to rub her neck, “I … I’m probably not going to bring Trixie.”</p><p>Lucifer furrows his eyebrows, “I …because of Jack?”</p><p>Chloe shakes her head, “No, not it’s just … she’s a kid, you know? Two years is a long time for a kid. I just … if you’re going to leave again, it doesn’t feel right to bring you back just to say goodbye. She’s at that time in her life when male figures are important and-“</p><p>“Say no more, Detective,” he says, nodding, “I … I understand.”</p><p>Chloe nods, “She’s gotten really big,” she says with a small smile.</p><p>Lucifer nods.</p><p>Chloe sighs and scoots onto one of the bar chairs. Lucifer sees her sitting down and turns to sit on the arm of the sofa.</p><p>“Dan’s worried about puberty hitting her hard,” Chloe chuckles, “it’s …there are a lot of changes.”</p><p>Lucifer nods.</p><p>“I’m going to leave the club to you and Amenadiel,” Lucifer says.</p><p>Chloe pauses, that being a strange segue.</p><p>“You can use the money you earn to get the child into some decent schooling. One of those nice ones, “ he says, “not like that school we visited where the children sang songs and didn’t get real grades.”</p><p>“Lucifer I … I can’t take your club,” she says, shaking her head.</p><p>“Oh, but you can and you will, Detective. It’s an excellent source of income, and you and Amenadiel seem to have it all under control in my absence.”</p><p>“Well, Maze ran the day to day, we just …we just did the books,” Chloe says.</p><p>Lucifer nods, “Yes, I suppose if I am leaving Maze behind, I’ll need to give her part of the club as well.”</p><p>Chloe shakes her head, “Can we … can we talk about this later?” she asks, part of her hoping this going back to hell thing is just him talking out of his ass.</p><p>Lucifer nods, “I’ll have the papers drawn up in the meantime. Can’t have you wasting away on a public servant’s salary in my absence.” he says.</p><p>Chloe sighs, and they fall into silence again.</p><p>“I hope our …having sex isn’t going to interfere with you and Jack,” Lucifer says, suddenly worried.</p><p>She shakes her head, “I … it’s too big for Jack,” she says.</p><p>He grins, and she rolls her eyes, not even needing to hear what he is going to say to know its stupid.</p><p>They fall into silence again, and Lucifer’s smile falls.</p><p>“You will be happy, Detective,” he says, “My Father may be a bastard in several ways, but he <em>usually</em> keeps his word.</p><p>She nods, unsure but smiling anyway. She looks up at him, slides off the stool, and approaches him. She slides her arms between his and holds him for a bit longer.</p><p>“Did I ever tell you about my time in Venice?” he asks, “about the woman who fed me so much risotto I haven’t touched the thing since?”</p><p>She chuckles and shakes her head, “No.”</p><p>“Oh,” he says, his hand rubbing up and down her back,”Well, the story isn’t too much different than the synopsis.”</p><p>“Other than the fact that you probably slept with her,” Chloe chuckles.</p><p>“Oh, of course, I did!” he says, “lovely woman.”</p><p>Chloe huffs, amused, and they fall into silence again. Suddenly her eyes pop open, and she pulls away from him.</p><p>She looks at him, horror in her face.</p><p>“What?’ he asks.</p><p>“Did … did you wear a condom?” she asks.</p><p>He looks at her, “Darling, this was before latex was invented. I mean certainly, we could have used a lambs-“</p><p>“No, I mean just now. With me. I don’t recall you putting on a condom,” she says.</p><p>He shakes his head, “You wanted me to cum in you, remember?”</p><p>Her eyebrows raise.</p><p>“That was two years ago!” she yells, horrified.</p><p>He looks at her confused, “I thought you-“</p><p>“Lucifer!” she groans before running into the bathroom, like that is going to do anything.</p><p> </p><p>--</p><p>An angry and distraught Ezria clomps down the spiral passage that leads to his cell. He mumbles to himself, his eyes still fully blacked out. The tears that freely fall down his face are clear now, but endless.</p><p>“I don- I don’t want to … I just,” he mumbles, his pace quick and thoughtless.</p><p>He pauses and momentarily crashes to his knees. He weeps openly, his closed fist thumping at the rocky path beneath him. He sniffs, trying to clear his breathing before turning his head up and gazing down the path. He lifts himself on shaky knees and pushes himself forward, towards the only real safety he’s ever known.</p><p>He didn’t want to be locked in his cell, he had thought freedom would be so much better. It turns out freedom is as suffocating as anything. At least in his cell he didn’t hurt. He had the pain of rejection, of being other, but it was the anger that had kept him from turning too far in on himself.</p><p>Now, with freedom, all he feels is heartbreak. His mind runs on Calmos again, how their last conversation did nothing to encapsulate what they could have been.</p><p>Calmos was kind and loving, and as patient as any human might be. But he was also strong and loyal and willing to fight for honor.</p><p>He was everything that made him unique, interesting …<em> perfect</em>.</p><p>Ezria whimpers, and blinks, trying to clear the haze from his eyes so he can continue walking.</p><p>Once he got back to his cell, he would close and lock the door behind him. Hell could fall into as much disarray as it wanted without a King, it was no longer in his interest to rule or create something. There was no one to create something for. There was no one to make this place safer, better, more like a home.</p><p>He pauses again, his mind moving to Calmos. He falls to his knees one more time, this time his forehead hitting the rocky path. He huffs, trying to hold the howl in, and it sends a gust of ash into the air and into his nose. It gives him a brief moment of relief from the thought of Calmos.</p><p>He scrunches his face, the dust in his nose. He feels a sneeze coming on. He raises his head, his eyebrows furrowed, and his eyes close.</p><p>“Ah,” he says the feeling going away briefly before returning, “Ah- Ah-choo!”</p><p>He sneezes and wipes his mouth with his hand.</p><p>“Ezria?” he hears.</p><p>He pauses. That voice.</p><p>That voice sounds like …</p><p>“Calmos?” Ezria asks, hope in his tone.</p><p>He stands up, blinking to clear his vision.</p><p>“Calmos is that you?” he asks again.</p><p>Ezria knows he is dead, he saw him explode into ash in his hands, but … grief does strange things to the mind. It makes him believe he is speaking to Calmos even when logic dictates he is not.</p><p>“My King?” the voice says, “is that you?”</p><p>“Calmos, where are you!?” Ezria asks, hoofing it down the path now, running towards that voice.</p><p>“My king, it is dark in here. Can you open the door?”</p><p>Ezria runs so fast down the path that he slides into a full stop in front of the closed door to his cell.</p><p>“Calmos?” he asks.</p><p>“I’m scared,” the voice says from inside the darkness of his cell.</p><p>Ezria immediately reaches down and unlatches the door. He swings it open and steps inside the doorway.</p><p>“Calmos I ... You can come out now,” he says.</p><p>Silence.</p><p>Ezria shifts on his feet, peering into the room. His eyes land on a form, a shadow darker than the darkest corner.</p><p>“Calmos?” he asks.</p><p>He holds out his hand, tears of joy starting to form in his eyes, “Come,” he says, “I thought you were dead.”</p><p>The shadow slowly moves forward, the darkness shifting around it.</p><p>It approaches, and Ezria smiles widely before chuckling, “How did you get all the way down here?” he asks.</p><p>Then he feels a cold hand in his, and his smile falls. He looks down to see the shadow is a literal shadow. He can clearly see his hand through the hand of whatever is holding his. His eyebrows furrow before they snap up to what he might perceive to be the face of whatever is in front of him.</p><p>“Wha-“ he begins to say before he feels a hard pressure on his chest, and he is launched back towards the lava lake.</p><p>His back lands on the edge of the platform in the center, his torso falling into the lava below. Instantly he arches up and pulls himself out of the lava, a pained expression on his face.</p><p>The burned flesh slowly heals, and as it does, he stares back into the open door of the cell. Here, a dark figure stands at the door, watching him. Ezria sits up, his eyes still blacked out, but confusion on his face. Slowly he stands and looks around. He is surrounded by lava, and at this height, he won't be able to use his wings to get out of it.</p><p>His feathers will burn by the heat alone. He narrows his eyes and turns his head back to the door. Here, the shadow sulks back into the cell.</p><p>Ezria stares at the door for a while, his mind turning as he pulls from his memory.</p><p>Calmos has been so afraid of that room. He had been adamant he saw something in the shadows. Ezria finally believes him, he saw it now.</p><p>His eyebrows furrow.</p><p>So why couldn’t Calmos see-</p><p>Ezria pauses.</p><p>He stands there for a second before he snaps and turns around to be faced, up and close, with the dark cube.</p><p><em>Father had called it the Ark,</em> Ezria thinks.</p><p>The cube looked black from across the lake, but up close, he can see speckles of purple and green. It shimmers like the inside is a suspended liquid. It moves and rolls like it is alive.</p><p>He stares at it, in awe. Slowly he walks closer to it. The closer he gets, the more it becomes apparent there is a strange sound coming from the box, like a constant hum.</p><p>Like a thousand bees buzzing around the same flower.</p><p>He steps forward, brings his hand out, and sets it onto the cube. He can feel it vibrating in his fingertips. He can feel it moving and pulsing like it has a heartbeat.</p><p>Like it were alive.</p><p>“Who are you?” Ezria asks, his voice low like he were unsure if he should even be asking a question.</p><p>“My King?” he hears in Calmos’ voice, it echoes through his ears,</p><p>Ezria shuts his eyes, trying to squash the small bit of hope clawing up his throat.</p><p>“Stop that,” he says.</p><p>“My King, it’s dark in here,” he hears again.</p><p>“I command you to stop that at once!” Ezria says, opening his eyes, anger behind them.</p><p>“Please let me out, I’m scared,” the voice continues.</p><p>“Enough!” Ezria says, raising a fist and slamming it down on the box. It does nothing.</p><p>“There’s something in here,” the voice continues, “let me out! Please!”</p><p>“You will cease toying with me!” Ezria screams, balling his fist up again and barreling it down on the cube.</p><p>The voices continue, mimicking a panicked Calmos. Ezria continues to pummel the cube until eventually, blow after blow, his fist weakens the area and a soft crack forms on the otherwise mirror perfect surface of the cube.</p><p>Ezria pauses, realizing he has cracked the cube. The voices stop, but it doesn’t make Ezria feel better. It does the opposite, in fact, as if he were just now realizing he was being played.</p><p>He watches, a sinking feeling developing in him as he sees the crack slowly move across the surface of the cube. He watches it get bigger and bigger. He watches the crack fracture into smaller fissures that spread along the edge of the cube, like capillaries.</p><p>He steps away from it, fear starting to develop in his face. The cracks eventually stop, and Ezria stands there in silence. He lets go a sigh, his shoulders dropping as he had expected something more to happen. It is silent for a long time. He turns back to the lava lake, as if trying to figure out how he would get out of it without burning himself.</p><p>Suddenly, the cube cracks again and splices in half, releasing a torrent of dark ink. The force of the ink on the back of his legs unstables him, and he falls, sliding into the lava lake with the ink. The lava hisses as the ink touches it, but it doesn’t cool. Instead, it turns into a black bubbling lake of hot, dark liquid. It snuffs out the light coming from the lake.</p><p>When the cube is empty, and the last drop of ink falls into the lake, Ezria stands in the lake, which oddly enough is no longer hot. Warm, maybe, but it doesn’t cook the flesh off his bone. He looks around, confused before he walks over to the platform where the cube once was, and pulls himself up. The ink drips off of him like water.</p><p>He stands and looks out towards the ink lake in front of him. Slowly the bubbling edges are calm down and the lake goes silent; still.</p><p>Placid.</p><p>Ezria sighs and whips out his wings to leave. Movement in his peripheral catches his vision, and he turns to his cell. Here, without the light from the lava to hold it back, the shadow exits the dark cell and enters the darkened pit of the caldera. It approaches the lake. Then, step by step, it submerges itself into the lake. It causes small ripples from where it entered, but when those ripples die down, the lake goes back to being still. Ezria narrows his eyes and then extends his wings fully. He flaps, sending a gust of wind over the top of the lake that doesn’t respond to the breeze. It stays placid.</p><p>He raises himself off the platform, prepared to fly when a strange smoke starts to rise from the lake. He doesn’t notice it as he stares towards the direction he intends to go; up.</p><p>He flies over the lake, heading towards the spiraling walkway along the caldera. As he does, dark and wispy hands made of shadow leap up from the lake and grab at him. They, in large part, miss him, except for one hand - longer than the others - that reaches up and holds onto Ezria’s ankle.</p><p>It is now Ezria looks down to find the lake is alive and grasping for him.</p><p>“What the-“ he says, kicking off the hand as two more replace it.</p><p>They drag him further down, towards the lake.</p><p>He kicks those two hands off, but then four replace them, crawling further up his body until he finds himself trapped like a bug in a spider’s next. He struggles, swiping at the hands that are grabbing onto him. But for every hand he manages to get off him, two more replace it.</p><p>His toes touch the lake, and the black ink sticks to him like bubblegum to hair. It tethers the hands, and their pull becomes harder. Ezria continues to struggle, fighting against them.</p><p>“Help!” he finally screams, looking up at the caldera, but there is no one there.</p><p>A dark ink starts to crawl up the veins in his neck, but it isn’t surface, it is inside of him. Like his very blood is changing.</p><p>Two hands come up as he stands waist-deep in the lake. They climb onto the top of his head and pull him down in one swift motion. He falls beneath the surface of the lake, air bubbling up as he screams.</p><p>Then, the lake is silent and placid again.</p><p>It stays that way for a very long time. It feels like only minutes, but time doesn’t exist down here – not like that. It could be days, or hours or years. Either way, there is no movement here. Just a still, mirror-like lake.</p><p>Then, slowly, a darkened figure rises from the center of the lake. It is coated in black ink, like a dove in oil. It glistens as water falls from it, but what is left behind is still jet black. Every inch of skin, even the robe he was wearing, is stained with black.</p><p>Slowly, Ezria stands, his head tilting longingly as his eyes open. They are still jet black, but so is everything else. There is no inch of him that isn’t covered in dark ichor.</p><p>He stands in the center of the lake, unmoving, without saying anything, for a very long time. He just stares longingly forward. His eyes slowly move to the cell, and he stares at it for a long time. Slowly, a smile begins to form on his face. It turns into a wide grin that bears teeth. Teeth that are black, gums that are black.</p><p>Whatever this is, it is clear it isn’t just his outside.</p><p>It is inside of him too.</p><p> </p><p>--</p><p>Inside her apartment, Natalie is sitting at her laptop watching a documentary. She is watching it, but it’s clear she can’t concentrate. She just stares at it mindlessly.</p><p>Her eyes are focused on the images in front of her, but her mind thinking of something else, of <em>someone</em> else.</p><p>How could she have been so stupid to not have seen it? Maze was spending almost every waking moment with her.</p><p>When Detective Decker had moved to a home and Maze had moved back to her place at LUX, it had been logical that she had left half her things with Natalie. They were having sex on a regular basis, and if they weren’t at LUX, they were here, at her apartment.</p><p><em>It made sense they had shared their space. </em>It was logical.</p><p>But then they had stopped having sex on the recommendation from Dr. Martin.</p><p>On the recommendation that Natalie stop her behaviors, ones the doctor had called coping, and live without them.</p><p>Yet, still, Maze and her spent time together.</p><p>So much so that here she was, trying to concentrate on a documentary and wondering at what point this happened?</p><p>At what point had their physical relationship turned into an <em>actual</em> relationship?</p><p>To the point, she was<em> half-living</em> with Maze.</p><p>To the point, she couldn’t remember the last time she had sex with someone who wasn’t Maze or why she had no interest in it.</p><p>To the point that Maze not being here for a single night seemed … uncomfortable.</p><p>To the point where Maze had told her that she was in love and all Natalie could do is stare.</p><p>Had she developed feelings and not known? Or had she always been willfully ignorant. Deciding it was best to ignore it until such a time when it couldn’t be ignored anymore.</p><p>She supposes that time is now, because despite how hard she is trying to focus on this damn documentary, she can’t help but think if she’d have to sleep alone again tonight.</p><p>About how much she doesn’t want to sleep alone again tonight.</p><p>The latch unlocks behind her, and she turns to it, her full attention on the door as it swings open, and Maze walks in.</p><p>They lock eyes, and Maze pauses.</p><p>“I, uh, I got beer,” she says, pointing to the six-pack in her arms.</p><p>“Thanks,” Natalie says timidly, not making mention of the fact that it had been 24 hours since she “<em>went to get beer.”</em></p><p>Maze nods before turning to the kitchen and opening the fridge. She slides the pack into the fridge and shuts the door. Natalie sets her laptop on the coffee table and turns as Maze crouches down and begins to untie her shoes.</p><p>Maze’s eyes cautiously turn to Natalie as she does it. Natalie looks at her, a strange innocence in the way she is looking. Like a child ready to be scolded after getting a bad report at school.</p><p>Maze turns back to her boots and slips one foot off.</p><p>“You don’t have to say it,” she says, keeping her eyes on what she is doing.</p><p>She slides the other shoes off and sets it on the rack before standing. Natalie looks at her, her eyes wide as if she is still lost on what to say.</p><p>“I just thought you should know,” Maze says.</p><p>Natalie opens her mouth to speak, but words don’t come out.</p><p>“I just-“</p><p>“You want a beer?” Maze asks, turning and heading to the fridge and interrupting Natalie before she said something she would regret.</p><p>Before she said something that would make Maze leave again.</p><p>Something like, “<em>I just don’t feel the same way.”</em></p><p>Or, they should stop having sex, or talking, or <em>being</em>.</p><p>Natalie sighs. She nods.</p><p>Maze opens the fridge and reaches into the pack to pull out two bottles. She shuts the fridge and opens a drawer before pulling out a bottle opener. She opens one then looks up to see Natalie watching her.</p><p>“What are you watching?” Maze says, her eyes drifting to the open laptop on the table.</p><p>Natalie turns and eyes the laptop.</p><p>“I … I don’t know,” she says, her eyebrows furrowed.</p><p>Maze chuckles, “You don’t know? How can you not know? The title is right there on the screen.”</p><p>Natalie shakes her head, “I … I zoned out,” she says.</p><p>Maze walks over and hands Natalie the bottle. Natalie reaches out and grabs it, their hands touching momentarily. Maze takes a swig and stands behind the couch.</p><p>“I uhm ..,” Natalie says, setting the bottle in her lap, “I’m sorry.”</p><p>Maze grunts, “For what?”</p><p>“For not saying anything when you … you know,” she says.</p><p>Maze takes another swig and rolls her eyes.</p><p>“It’s not a big deal,” she says, shrugging as she walks around the couch and plops down.</p><p>She raises her socked feet onto the table and crosses her legs.</p><p>“I uhm,” Natalie says, eyeing her feet, “I’m sorry, are you doing that to piss me off?”</p><p>Maze looks down at her feet and then smiles. She takes her feet off the table and takes another swig.</p><p>“No,” she says after swallowing.</p><p>“Mm,” Natalie grunts before taking her first sip.</p><p>They sit in silence for a second before Natalie turns her eye back to the documentary.</p><p>“You wanna have sex?” Maze asks.</p><p>Natalie turns to her, her eyebrows furrowed.</p><p>“You know I can’t. I mean, I can, but I’m not,” she says, “and even if I were-“</p><p>“I get it,” Maze says, waving off the explanation.</p><p>“You still haven’t told me why you won’t,” Maze says.</p><p>Natalie shakes her head, “Ms. Smith …”</p><p>“Fine, fine,” Maze says, raising her hands, “fine. I won’t push it.”</p><p>Maze downs her beer. She stands up and walks around the couch before heading into the kitchen.</p><p>“Right, well, I’m going to call it early tonight. Got a bounty I want to take on in the morning.”</p><p>“You came all the way over here to sleep?” Natalie asks.</p><p>Maze shrugs, “I’m a creature of habit. What can I say?”</p><p>“Don’t you want to talk about …” Natalie says, hoping Maze can finish her sentence.</p><p>“Nope,” Maze says, turning and setting the bottle in the recycling.</p><p>Natalie sighs and stands up.</p><p>“Ms. Smith,” Natalie says, pleading.</p><p>Maze doesn’t listen, she just walks towards the bedroom, slipping her shirt off.</p><p>“Maze,” Natalie says.</p><p>Maze pauses, her heart beating in her chest. Natalie never used her name. Well, outside of sex that is, and even then, it was rare.</p><p>She was always<em> Ms. Smith</em>. There had always been that thin film of distance between them.</p><p>Maze narrows her eyes.</p><p>Natalie walks around the couch as Maze’s back is still turned to her.</p><p>“I’m sorry, okay? I’m sorry I just … I don’t think. I don’t <em>know</em> if I feel the same way.”</p><p>Maze slowly turns to her, nodding to herself, a pain in her chest that feels familiar.</p><p>She reaches up and scratches her lip before approaching.</p><p>“So, when uh … when do you think you might have an answer?”</p><p>Natalie shakes her head, “Maze …”</p><p>“The last time I felt something like this, I ran. I don’t want to do that with you. I don’t want to run, okay? But … I’m not going to pretend that I don’t feel something. That went out the fucking window tonight. If you don’t feel anything fine. If you do, great. But don’t leave me hanging like some dog on a leash. Despite what we do in bed, I am<em> not</em> an animal.”</p><p>“That’s not what I meant, you know that,” Natalie says.</p><p>Maze nods, “I’m not fighting with you,” she says, “I’m just telling you how I .. how I feel.”</p><p>Maze pauses. She clenches her jaw as that word starts to come up through her throat. On the back of it, that feeling, an <em>actual</em> feeling. That feeling was back again, and it makes her eyes well with water. Natalie sees this and frowns, her eyebrows furrowing.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” she says, walking forward and holding her.</p><p>Maze stands there, Natalie’s arms wrapped around her, and anger building in her veins.</p><p>“I got to go,” Maze says, pulling herself away from Natalie.</p><p>It seems Natalie only made it worst, the feelings.</p><p>“Wait!” Natalie says, grabbing Maze’s arm, “Stay.”</p><p>Maze looks at her, unsure. She shakes her head, needing to separate. To get away. To shove this feeling back down to whatever fucked up hole it crawled out of.</p><p>“I … I have issues, okay? I’m- I’m all sorts of fucked up, and I’m sorry if I am bringing you into it but …,” Natalie says.</p><p>Maze narrows her eyes.</p><p>Natalie opens her mouth, a slight pause as if she is second-guessing what she is going to say. It falls out of her lips before she can think about It anymore.</p><p>“I have abandonment issues. I … I don’t get close to people because I – I - I expect people to leave me. They always have. It’s … it’s why I don’t put paintings up, okay? It’s why I haven’t so much as changed the color of my walls even though I hate the bathroom color. Because that would make me comfortable. And being comfortable is uncomfortable for me. Because I can think about is when … when will it hurt?”</p><p>“You’ve been talking to Linda,” Maze says, never having heard Natalie talk like this. With <em>feelings.</em></p><p>Natalie nods and crosses her arms, unsure of herself, “It’s … it’s one of the things we’ve been working through, yes.”</p><p>Maze sighs and turns her eyes towards the door.</p><p>Natalie grunts and approaches Maze, “It’s easy for me to … keep people at arms length. To not get attached. Being … <em>feeling</em> like I care about someone is … I hate it. It makes me … it brings up feelings I thought I had left behind,” Natalie says.</p><p>Maze looks at her and nods to herself.</p><p>“I’m not good with this,” Natalie says, pointing between the two of them, “with caring about somebody. The last time I did it well …”</p><p>She inhales and then exhales, on the back of her exhale is a small but heavy laugh, “It was a shit show.”</p><p>Maze crosses her arms and nods, “I could have warned you about that one,” she says.</p><p>Natalie shrugs, “So I – I’m sorry. I don’t know if I feel the same way right now. To be honest, I literally just got over the fact that it seems like we might be dating.”</p><p>Maze chuckles, “I thought we were just doing the whole … <em>don’t put labels on it</em>, thing”</p><p>Natalie nods, “yeah, well, a lot of good that did.”</p><p>“yeah,” Maze scoffs.</p><p>They stand silence for a second.</p><p>“Look,” Natalie says, shaking her head, “I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to lie to you and tell you I feel something that I don’t.”</p><p>Maze nods and looks away, trying to squash the tightness in her chest.</p><p>“But…,” Natalie says, shaking her head.</p><p>Maze turns her, hope in her eyes.</p><p>Natalie’s eyes start to well with tears, “I don’t want to spend another night alone.”</p><p>Maze unfurls her arms, a softness behind her eyes.</p><p>“I had a horrible night’s sleep last night without you hogging the covers,” Natalie says.</p><p>Maze smiles. Natalie had said she didn’t feel the same way, but … behind her eyes there is a real fear that Maze will leave.</p><p>“Stay,” Natalie says again, her eyes on the verge of begging.</p><p>Then suddenly, that feeling is gone. That overwhelming urge to crawl into a hole dissipates and is replaced by another feeling. The knowledge and clarity that Natalie felt something, even if it was small and underdeveloped, it was there.</p><p>Maze nods, “Okay,” she says.</p><p>Natalie smiles and reaches forward before holding Maze. Maze wraps her arms around Natalie, and they stand there for a moment, just holding each other.</p><p>Maze buries her head into Natalie’s neck, satisfied but still worried about the thing in the back of her head, the thing that had driven her into Natalie’s arms despite knowing this conversation was inevitable.</p><p>A soul.</p><p>How the fuck did she end up with a soul?</p><p>Natalie also stares forward, unsure of what is happening to her either; afraid.</p><p>Afraid to fall in love again.</p><p>--</p><p>This particular hallway in Hell is dark and relatively silent. It is also happens to be the cleanest, free of soot and bones. Instead, only the dark rock of hell can be seen with the dim glow of warm orange torches. On the walls of this hall are words and letters. Carved in the language of God, in angelic words of hope and encouragement. The longer Ezria descends into this hallway, the more faded the words are. Like they had been scratched out; removed.</p><p>At the end of the hallway, it opens up into a giant room. Similar to the sweat pits, this room goes down a few levels. Dissimilar to the sweat pits, there is little movement here. Instead, most of the bodies that litter the floors of this room are still and silent. A few walk around the edges, chewing on burnt flesh of thigh and leg bones. Others rock themselves for comfort.</p><p>Ezria approaches the edge of a flimsy railing that peers into the pits below.</p><p>He stares for a long time, eyes rolling over hunched backs and barely visible breaths.</p><p>“Brothers,” he says, in a voice that doesn't sound like his own.</p><p>A few of the angels peer their heads up, looking at the dark figure in front of them. In their eyes, there is no recognition. The other angels still sleep or rock themselves.</p><p>“Brothers and sisters,” he says louder, the voice echoing in a way It shouldn’t, even for the size of this room.</p><p>The sleeping angel’s stir and the rocking angels stop their movement. All eyes are on Ezria.</p><p>“It is time to go home,” Ezria says.</p><p>The angels look at one another weary, unsure of what is being said.</p><p>“Who are you?” one asks, staring at the darkened visage before them.</p><p>Ezria turns to the angel.</p><p>“I am Ezria, son of God, the snake of Eden.”</p><p>The angel’s eyebrows furrow.</p><p>“What happened to your skin?” he asks.</p><p>Ezria tilts his head, “Do you not desire to go home?” he counters.</p><p>The angel turns and locks eyes with the angel next to him, unsure.</p><p>An angel gnawing on a leg scoffs and turns to Ezria, “go home,” he says, disdain and disgust dripping from his voice, “the last time we tried to fight the heavens we lost!”</p><p>A few of the angels nod. Some lay back down, preparing to go back to sleep.</p><p>“This time, we will win,” Ezria says.</p><p>The angel laughs and shakes his head, “Ezria, you are as much a fool now as you were back then if you think we might do anything to win our station back. You saw what happened when we tried to take on Heaven’s army! And we were in our best condition then. Young and virile.”</p><p>Ezria narrows the dark slits of his eyes.</p><p>“Look at us!” The angel yells, waving a hand to a room full of angels who have clearly lost their will to live.</p><p>“We haven’t even used our wings in eons. How are we to fight against Michael and his army when we are weak?”</p><p>“Do you not want to go back home?” Ezria asks again, anger in his confusion as if he realized he might be the only one with that interest.</p><p>“Of course,” the angel says sadly, “but …that will never be. Taking on heavens army again is surely a death sentence. We lost then, and we will lose now.”</p><p>“We will win our station back,” Ezria says assuredly.</p><p>The angel sighs, exhausted; tired.</p><p>“How?” another angel asks, “There is nothing different about this time from the last.”</p><p>“There is,” Ezria says.</p><p>“What?” the angel asks, shaking his head, “what is different?”</p><p>Ezria grins widely, revealing his darkened grin.</p><p>“Me,” he says.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. War - Part 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Lucifer has a dinner to say goodbye,  Natalie faces the truth, Ezria loses his shit, Michael gets his war and Father Kyle has front row seats.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Trigger warning, this chapter has some in-depth discussion of sexual assault and describes acts of violence.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>-- -- --- --- --- --- ---</p><p>It’s dark in Maze’s suite. That is until the clock flips to 9:00 am, and the electric shutters over the windows automatically slide open. Light floods into the bedroom and hits Lucifer in the face. He stirs, groans, and squints his eyes as he opens them. He looks around for a moment, unsure of where he is, before his waking brain kicks in, and he remembers.</p><p>His penthouse didn’t have a bed anymore, which meant he had to sleep in Mazikeen’s bed for the night.</p><p>He groans as he rotates and sits up to set his feet on the floor. Then he hisses and holds his stomach, a sharp pain shooting up his side. When he puts a hand on his stomach, he feels a strange hard mass.</p><p>He carefully stands up and notices he has a little pooch. He touches it and confirms that it is hard and warm.</p><p>He sighs and shuffles off the bed towards the elevator. Moments later, he enters the bathroom in his penthouse and bends down to retrieve an enema kit from below the sink.</p><p>He shakes his head as he opens it, “Hello, old friend,” he says as he sets the equipment on the sink. He grumbles as he sets everything up.</p><p>“Not the penetration I was hoping for … but I suppose if needs must.”</p><p>He secures the enema bag to a towel ring on the wall of the bathroom before turning and heading towards the bar. Here he leans down and opens a cupboard next to the mini-fridge that is full of boxes of tea.</p><p>“I suppose not having a proper bowel movement in two years might not be beneficial for one’s colon,” he says, shifting through the boxes of tea until he finds the one he needs.</p><p>It is a herbal tea, not very delicious, but then again where it is going, he doesn’t intend to taste it.</p><p>He stands upright as the elevator doors open. He turns his eyes curiously to the door, tea bag in hand, as Amenadiel enters.</p><p>“We have a problem,” Amenadiel says.</p><p>“Yes, we do, but something tells me my problem is different from yours,” Lucifer says.</p><p>Lucifer grabs a nearby kettle and fills it with water before popping it onto a heating coil above the mini-fridge.</p><p>“It’s Maze,” Amenadiel says.</p><p>“Of course, it is. What unfortunate human had their bones broken this time?” he asks.</p><p>Amenadiel shakes his head and walks further into the penthouse.</p><p>“She has a soul,” Amenadiel says.</p><p>Lucifer guffaws and shakes his head, “I’m in no mood for jokes,” he says before turning to Amenadiel, “Did I defecate?”</p><p>Amenadiel furrows his eyebrows, “What?</p><p>“Before you buried me in the hills, did I evacuate my bowels?” he says.</p><p>Amenadiel shrugs, ” I … I don’t know. I was too busy hiding your body to check.”</p><p>“Hmm,” Lucifer says</p><p>“Brother, this is serious. Mazikeen has a soul. It’s small, but it is strong.”</p><p>Lucifer scoffs,” Honestly, Amenadiel,” he says, “I’m in no mood for jokes. Mazikeen is a demon. Demon’s by their nature do not have souls. You know this.”</p><p>“And so you see why this is a problem that she has one,” Amenadiel days.</p><p>Lucifer narrows his eyes and stares at Amenadiel for a long time.</p><p>“You’re not joking, he says eventually, the tone of his voice finally understanding.</p><p>Amenadiel shakes his head, “She stopped by last night, said she felt weird and wanted me to check. I thought it was silly too, but Linda suggested I do it, so I did.”</p><p>“and you found a soul,” Lucifer says.</p><p>Amenadiel nods.</p><p>“Luci, she’s old guard. She’s not-“</p><p>“Yes,” Lucifer says, understanding the gravity of the situation.</p><p>He waves Amenadiel off as he thinks.</p><p>“Linda suggested it might be some form of self-actualization. Like you with your face and me with my wings,” Amenadiel says.</p><p>Lucifer shakes his head, “Yes, but those are both things that define who we believe ourselves to be,” he says, turning to Amenadiel, “A soul goes against everything she is. She doesn’t even desire a soul!”</p><p>They both pause and stare at each other.</p><p>Lucifer furrows his eyebrows, “Does she?”</p><p>Amenadiel’s phone rings and reaches into his pocket to pull it out. Father Kyle’s name comes up.</p><p>Amenadiel answers and puts it up to his ear.</p><p>“Hello?” he asks before pausing, listening to the voice on the other end.</p><p>Lucifer puts a hand on his stomach, another sharp pain moving up the side. He walks around the bar to check on the kettle.</p><p>“Slow down,” Amenadiel says, a grave tone to his voice.</p><p>It catches Lucifer’s attention. Amenadiel listens.</p><p>“He visited you?” Amenadiel asks, turning to Lucifer, his eyes surveying the seriousness of this situation.</p><p>“Who?” Lucifer asks curiously.</p><p>“Okay, okay. Where are you now?” Amenadiel asks.</p><p>He pauses, and the look of shock on his face falls to confusion.</p><p>“Right now?” he asks before pausing.</p><p>“Okay, make a left and go all the way back to the elevator,” he says.</p><p>Amenadiel moves to the penthouse elevator and presses the down button. The door opens, and he steps inside and presses the down button.</p><p>The doors begin to close, and Amenadiel quickly squeezes out of the elevator and into the penthouse.</p><p>“When the door opens,” he says, “Get in.”</p><p>Amenadiel nods, “Yes,” he says before hanging up.</p><p>Lucifer just looks at Amenadiel and shakes his head, “Don’t tell me you invited a priest into my penthouse,” Lucifer says.</p><p>Amenadiel shakes his head, “Ezria visited him last night,” he says.</p><p>Lucifer shrugs, “So?”</p><p>“So? So, he was angry. Father Kyle says he had black eyes.”</p><p>“Well, clearly it wasn’t Ezria he saw,” Lucifer says, “we all know Ezria’s gift is green.”</p><p>Amenadiel shakes his head, “He called himself the snake of Eden.”</p><p>Lucifer groans and rolls his eyes, “I keep telling him to drop that. It’s so … cliché.”</p><p>Amenadiel turns and presses the call button on the elevator.</p><p>“He isn’t well,” Amenadiel says, walking back towards the living room.</p><p>“Oh, enough, Amenadiel,” Lucifer says, “Ezria is the least intimidating of all our siblings. I'm much more frightened of Azrael than him.”</p><p>The elevator door opens, and they both turn to see Father Kyle, his eyes wild and his hair messy, step in.</p><p>He immediately turns his eyes to Lucifer.</p><p>“Why isn’t he in the bible?” Father Kyle asks.</p><p>“What?” Lucifer responds.</p><p>“Your brother. The one with your face. I searched all night for any instance of his mention, and you</p><p>know what I found?”</p><p>“Nothing, I imagine,” Lucifer says.</p><p>“That’s right, nothing,” Father Kyle says.</p><p>“It’s Ezria’s biggest qualm with the book, that he not be mentioned. Not once,” Amenadiel says, nodding.</p><p>Lucifer pauses, “I suppose that is my doing. That I took away his only opportunity to be notarized in ink.”</p><p>“So I ask again,” Father Kyle says, “Why isn’t he in the bible? Or better yet, why is there no mention of an identical brother. He certainly isn’t Michael.”</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, “Michael’s only similarity to me is his focus on justice and fairness. I assure you he and I have nothing in-“</p><p>“So why isn’t he in the book?!” Father Kyle screams.</p><p>Lucifer pauses. He looks at Father Kyle for a moment. Notices the wrinkles on his forehead and the bags beneath his eyes.</p><p>He was a man in real distress.</p><p>“I … I don’t know,” Lucifer says, shocked at how unhinged Father Kyle has become.</p><p>“Amenadiel, Michael, Samael, Gabriel, Azreal ... your father seems to have a naming convention when it comes to his children,” Father Kyle says.</p><p>“Despite being the creator of the universe, he’s not very creative, “Lucifer says,” what’s your point?”</p><p>“Ezria doesn’t sound like an angel’s name.”</p><p>“If you want to make a critique of his baby name choices, you’re talking to the wrong angel. I don’t very</p><p>much care,” Lucifer says.</p><p>“I looked it up. Do you know what his name means?”</p><p>Lucifer shakes his head, no.</p><p>“It means help.”</p><p>Lucifer shrugs, “Okay.”</p><p>“Problem is, I can’t decide if that is a plea or an order,” Father Kyle says.</p><p>Lucifer turns his eyes to Amenadiel. They lock eyes as if Father Kyle has completely gone off the rails.</p><p>--</p><p>Inside her lab, Ella slips the glass slide on a sample before pushing it beneath the lens of a microscope.</p><p>Behind her, Chloe walks in and shuts the door.</p><p>“Hey,” she says, “did you get Lucifer’s invite?”</p><p>Ella swivels on her chair, sees Chloe, and lets go of a big grin.</p><p>“Just the person I wanted to see!” she says, flipping off the microscope before sliding off her chair.</p><p>“Yeah?” Chloe asks.</p><p>Ella nods, “You won’t believe what happened last night,” she says.</p><p>Chloe nods, “Yeah, well, I have something you’ll never believe too.”</p><p>Chloe pauses and tilts her head,” or maybe you will.”</p><p>Ella nods, “Okay, me first because I’ve been <em>dying </em>to tell someone,” she says.</p><p>Chloe nods and crosses her arms, “Okay, what is it?”</p><p>“Abel and I had sex last night,” Ella says with glee.</p><p>Chloe raises her eyebrows, “Oh … oh wow,” she says.</p><p>“And he basically proposed to me,” Ella says.</p><p>Chloe shakes her head, “What?! Ella, I … that seems kind of fast.”</p><p>“No, I know. I didn’t give him an answer. I just said we would see but like … he likes me!” she says.</p><p>Chloe nods, “I would hope so, you two had sex.”</p><p>Ella nods and smiles, “We did, and It was …it wasn’t half bad,” she says, grinning.</p><p>“I mean, it’s been a while, so hopefully it's not just a …, you know, excitement to have someone there kind of thing,“ Ella continues.</p><p>Chloe nods, “Well, either way, congratulations. I’m happy that you two are doing … whatever you are doing.”</p><p>Ella frowns at Chloe’s response.</p><p>“That’s it? Congratulations?”</p><p>Chloe shakes her head, “I …how am I supposed to respond to that?”</p><p>“You’re supposed to ask for details!” she says.</p><p>Chloe shakes her head, “Oh. Oh, no. I don’t think that is-“</p><p>“Like his body is so muscular, but like … lean, you know? Like you can tell he has worked out at some</p><p>point but maybe doesn’t currently or at least not every day.”</p><p>“Right,” Chloe says, squinting her eyes, “Well again, I’m happy for-“</p><p>“and his chest is hairy. Which I didn’t think I was into. but after dating men who almost exclusively shave their chests - or don’t need to - its … <em>God</em>, it’s so hot.”</p><p>Chloe tilts her head, unsure if she wants to have that mental image.</p><p>“But it is like the right amount of hair, right? Not like a grizzly bear, you know? It’s just enough to run my hands through and..”</p><p>Ella pauses and sighs deeply, then grunts.</p><p>She’s clearly thinking about it.</p><p>Chloe stands there, her eyes wide and looking around.</p><p>“Right, so …last night was a change of pace for me too,” she says, ready to change the topic.</p><p>“and it was so passionate,” Ella says, her eyes distant like she is talking to herself, “I mean at first I was like okay … this is normal. Insert penis into vagina, check. You know?”</p><p>“Mm,” Chloe hums, her eyes squinting.<br/><br/></p><p>She’s not quite sure this is an appropriate conversation, but its clear Ella is going to continue talking.</p><p>She tilts her head, wondering why this conversation was weird to her. She had spoken to Maze and Linda about pretty much everything under the sun. And Ella had been privy to the whole thing with her and Lucifer from the start.</p><p>Chloe nods to herself, realizing she had viewed Ella differently. With her science loving mind and her bubbly personality, she had reminded her of an older version of Trixie. The version she wanted Trixie to grow up to be.</p><p>“but then it just devolved into this …sweaty mix of just <em>hot</em> bodies,” Ella continues.</p><p>Chloe narrows her eyes. This was not the thought she wanted in her head. The thought of an adult Trixie finding a man and …doing things with them.</p><p> </p><p><em>God,</em> she was only a kid, but she was getting old so fast. Maybe Chloe was getting old too.</p><p>“I’ve been thinking about doing it again all morning,” Ella says, turning to Chloe.</p><p>Chloe just looks out in the distance, having her own personal crisis.</p><p>Ella stares at her for a second.</p><p>“Hey,” she says, and that snaps Chloe out of it.</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>“You okay?” Ella asks.</p><p>“Sorry I just … you remind me so much of Trixie it’s just …it’s kind of a mind thing picturing you and Abel</p><p>… you know.”</p><p>“Oh,” Ella says, nodding.</p><p>“But no … I’m, I’m happy for you,” Chloe says, nodding, “I admit I was kind of hoping you two would</p><p>figure things out eventually. I mean, it’s been two years.”</p><p>Ella scoffs, “You’re one to talk,” she says, “now you know what it feels like watching you and Lucifer fumble around having feelings for each other.”</p><p>Chloe shakes her head and scoffs, amused.</p><p>“Sorry I didn’t mean to bring up-“ Ella says.</p><p>“It’s fine,” Chloe says, crossing her arms, “I uhm … I actually came to talk to you about something. About Lucifer.”</p><p>Ella gasps, “Did he die again?” Ella immediately walks around the table and moves to hug Chloe.</p><p>“Oh, Chloe,” she says sadly.</p><p>“No, It’s fine. We just, uhm. We had kind of … had sex last night.”</p><p>Ella pauses her condolences before pulling away from Chloe and staring her in the eyes.</p><p>“What?” she asks.</p><p>“I went over the Lucifer’s penthouse last night, after Dan and Jack left,” Chloe says as Ella pulls away.</p><p>“I thought Jack called off last night?” she asks.</p><p>Chloe scoffs, “He did but then ended up going in to work anyway. Don’t even get me started on that.”</p><p>“Is that why you had sex with him? Because I’m going to be honest, Chloe, I - I didn’t think you had it in you to play two guys at once.”</p><p>Chloe shakes her head, “No, no, it’s nothing like that. It just … it just happened. I - I wanted to talk, you know? I felt like, I felt like we deserved some closure. <em>Real </em>closure.”</p><p>“and so you had sex with him,” Ella says, point-blank.</p><p>Chloe nods and sighs, “Yeah,well I didn’t plan on it. It just … you know emotions were flying high and it just happened.”</p><p>“Okay,” Ella says, nodding, “so … what now? Are you two going to try something? Are you going to tell Jack?”</p><p>Chloe shakes her head, “What? No! I mean … I don’t know. I don’t know if I should. Lucifer is leaving again, so what is the point of bringing it up? That will just hurt him.“</p><p>“Wait, Lucifer is leaving?” Ella asks, interrupting.</p><p>Chloe nods, “He’s … he’s going back to hell. For good. The dinner is like his goodbye party.”</p><p>Ella nods, “His last supper,” she says.</p><p>Chloe scoffs.</p><p>“I wonder who will be his Judas?” she asks.</p><p>Chloe rolls her eyes, “I don’t think he’s positioning himself as some modern-day Jesus. I think he just wants to be able to say a proper goodbye.”</p><p>Ella nods, “So we’re going, then?” she asks</p><p>Chloe nods, “I think so.”</p><p>They stand in silence for a moment.</p><p>“So … did you get it? Closure, I mean,” Ella asks.</p><p>Chloe’s eyes go distant as she thinks about it. She nods to herself and crosses her arms.</p><p>“Yeah, I … I think I did. It doesn’t feel good to have him go but at least … at least I know he’s going, you know? A-and <em>where</em> he is going to and that’ he’ll be okay.”</p><p>Chloe pauses.</p><p>“Relatively,” she says, correcting her statement.</p><p>She shakes her head and crosses her arms, “That was the hardest part. Not knowing if he was okay but … now, now I can move on.”</p><p>Ella smiles.</p><p>Chloe shakes her head, “I’ve been thinking about it all night,” she says.</p><p>“You and me both,” Ella replies.</p><p>Chloe looks at her, her eyebrows furrowed.</p><p>“I mean … sex. You know, with our respective partners.”</p><p>Chloe chuckles and shakes her head.</p><p>“I just feel like I should feel guilty, but I don’t, you know?” Chloe says, “I should feel like a horrible person, and for a millisecond last night I did but … now I just, I feel at peace.”</p><p>“I hear ya, I haven’t felt this calm in the mornings for years,” Ella responds.</p><p>“I should text him,” Ella says before reaching for her phone, “See how he is doing.”</p><p>Chloe smiles and chuckles as she watches Ella text Abel. She missed that feeling of being absolutely head over heels in love with someone.</p><p>That honeymoon phase.</p><p>She pauses and tilts her head. She doesn’t recall her and Jack ever having a honeymoon phase. And they’ve only been dating for six months. Shouldn’t they still be in that phase?</p><p>“Maybe I shouldn’t be asking why I don’t feel guilty,” she says out loud to herself, “maybe I should be asking why it was so easy to begin with.”</p><p>Ella looks up from her phone. She sees the look in Chloe’s eyes and sighs.</p><p>“Look,” she says, setting her phone down. “This is Lucifer we are talking about here. Not saying what you did was right, but … it’s Lucifer. You never really moved on from him, and that is obvious.”</p><p>Chloe rolls her eyes, “Oh come on, I moved on.”</p><p>“Chloe, you picked the most boring human in the world to date. Now, I like Jack. He’s nice, and he’s responsible, but he’s the exact opposite of Lucifer. That dude can’t hold a conversation to save his life.”</p><p>Chloe chuckles and shakes her head. Ella was right, he definitely wasn’t the strongest conversationalist.</p><p>“I mean, come on,” Ella continues, “If you truly moved on, you would have set your bar a little higher.”</p><p>Chloe shakes his head, “Jack is a catch. I mean, I know he’s not, you know, <em>out there,</em> but …he’s hard-working, responsible, he is kind, he has a good job, he’s-“</p><p>“Easy to dump?” Ella says, pity in her eyes.</p><p>Chloe pauses, not expecting that response.</p><p>“You sound like you are trying to convince a friend to date someone who has nothing else going for them. What happened to he’s hot, he’s funny he’s …got a big dick?”</p><p>Chloe chuckles and shakes her head.</p><p>“Face it, Jack’s your safety net,” Ella says.</p><p>She crosses her arms and shifts her weight onto one leg.</p><p>“No, no. Jack has -” Chloe says, shaking her head in disbelief.</p><p>“Yeah,” Ella says, “otherwise you wouldn’t have had sex with Lucifer. Could you imagine having slept</p><p>with anyone else when you were dating Lucifer?”</p><p>Chloe pauses, her eyebrows furrowing slowly the more that question sits inside her head.</p><p>“Holy shit,” she says, her eyes wide and her arms collapsed at her side, “Jack’s my safety net.”</p><p>Ella nods, her face scrunched as if that realization is painful for her too.</p><p>Just then, the door opens, and Dan peeks his head in. They turn to him, and he holds out his phone.</p><p>“Hey, I got this invite for Lucifer’s tonight. Are we uhm … are we going?” he asks.</p><p>Chloe turns back to Ella, and Ella raises her eyes to give Chloe the chance to change her mind.</p><p>Chloe nods and turns to Dan, “Yeah. Yeah, we’re going.”</p><p>“Cool, I’ll text Jillian,” he says before ducking back out.</p><p>Chloe turns back to Ella, and Ella reaches into a box to pull out another pair of gloves, ready to get back to work.</p><p>“So, are you going to bring Jack?” Ella says.</p><p>Chloe nods, “Yeah. I uh, I think it will be good,” she says.</p><p><em>I don’t want Lucifer to see me alone</em>, she thinks.</p><p>Not when he is leaving.</p><p>Not when he is saying goodbye.</p><p>“Mm,” Ella hums, “Let’s just hope Lucifer doesn’t do his normal thing and spill the beans about you two hooking up.”</p><p>Chloe scoffs at the idea before pausing. That could very well happen.</p><p>---- - ----- - - ---- --</p><p>It’s early morning in Dr. Linda Martin’s office. Linda sits in her chair across from the couch, holding on to a fresh and hot cup of coffee.</p><p>“I’m happy to see that it seems I’ve finally gained your trust,” Linda says before taking a sip, “but I have to admit I’m concerned. It’s unlike you to call for an emergency session.”</p><p>Across from her sits Natalie, her legs crossed and her back straight.</p><p>“Yes,” she says, clearly uncomfortable, “I uhm … well, I thought, given the circumstances that it might warrant me coming here to get my head right. You know, otherwise, I’m going to be worried about it all day.”</p><p>“Mm, worried about what?” Linda asks.</p><p>“Well, uhm, last night, Ms. Smith and I talked. You know, about us,” she says.</p><p>“Oh?” Linda asks, her eyes raising.</p><p>“And where we stand, you know …”</p><p>Linda nods, listening.</p><p>“and I … I think we are dating,” Natalie says.</p><p>Linda smiles and nods, “That’s great. Defining the boundaries of our relationships with people, especially when we have troubling experiences with past relationships, uhm … it helps us set expectations that prevent miscommunication.”</p><p>Natalie nods, not convinced.</p><p>“But you don’t see this as a good thing, I take it?” Linda asks.</p><p>“She told me she loved me,” Natalie says.</p><p>Linda takes in a deep breath as if that is the first time she heard this. She adds that to the pile of things she needs to speak with Maze about.</p><p>“Mmm,” Linda hums, “I see. And why do you think that scares you so much?”</p><p>“It doesn’t scare me. I just … I don’t think, don’t <em>know</em> if I feel the same way.”</p><p>Linda narrows her eyes, “I think you do,” she says, “I just think you’re afraid to admit that.”</p><p>Natalie scoffs, “Why would I be afraid of admitting that?” she asks.</p><p>“Because often, love comes with expectations. Most notably, sex. And sex comes with some … uncomfortable realities for you.”</p><p>“We have sex all the time,” Natalie says, shaking her head, “well, before you told me to … not have sex.”</p><p>“and how is that going for you?” Linda asks.</p><p>“Tough,” Natalie says, “I …it’s like I have an itch that hasn’t been scratched in a very long time.”</p><p>“Mmm,” Linda says, nodding and taking a sip of her coffee, “Let’s go back to this admission. What was</p><p>your initial response when you heard those words from Maze?” Linda asks, sitting back in her chair.</p><p>Natalie lets out a nervous laugh, “What do you mean?”</p><p>Linda nods, “I mean, how did it make you feel when she told you how she felt?” Linda asks.</p><p>Natalie shakes her head, shrugs, and lets out an exasperated sigh.</p><p>She opens her mouth as if she wants to say, “I Don’t know,” but she can see the look on Linda’s face. Linda would know that is a lie.</p><p>“I don’t know like… like I can’t breathe,” Natalie says, “suffocating.”</p><p>Linda stares at her, knowing.</p><p>“Why do you think that is?” Linda asks.</p><p>Truth be told, Linda didn’t have to ask anything. She had been seeing Natalie for a few months now, and by the second week, despite Natalie’s resistance at first, Linda had her pegged.</p><p>Like someone leaning on the left leg to hide the hurt of the right leg, Natalie leans on the disconnect, on not being close to people to avoid being <em>close</em> to people. To avoid trusting people. To avoid the hurt of when they eventually break that trust.</p><p>“Because it’s a lie,” Natalie says as if it were apparent, “because it makes me feel like I should be giving something that I don’t think I can give. Like …you know, I tried that, with Liz. I really did. I tried to be what she wanted, and it backfired. Hard.”</p><p>“Mmm,” Linda says, nodding, “and so you believe a loving relationship with Maze will be more of the same?”</p><p>Outside, the door opens to the waiting room of Linda’s office, and Maze walks in. She’s thought about it all night. To think about having a soul and what that might mean. She had tried to understand how it could happen, how someone as ancient and purely demonic could even attain something like a soul. She still didn’t have any answers, but part of her wonders if that is so bad.</p><p>Her life here was different, more fulfilling in many ways than it could ever be back home. She had long since abandoned hell as her home anyway. Maybe this was just an extension of what she had already known. Earth was her home now, and its people were her family. Well, at least the ones she likes.</p><p>Still, she needed to speak with Linda about it, and that is what had her end up here. The door to Linda’s office is closed, indicating she is with someone else.</p><p>This early? Seems odd.</p><p>If Maze were Lucifer, she would barge in and demand her time is more important, but she is used to being patient for what she wants.</p><p>It allowed her to stall. To not have to face the idea right now.</p><p>The idea that maybe God wasn’t making <em>just</em> Lucifer human. That’s the only explanation.</p><p>She scoffs, annoyed at the possibility that God had ignored her kind for so long, and now suddenly, he wanted to provide the one thing no demon would ever want.</p><p>She takes a seat in one of the chairs and pulls out her phone.</p><p>“Let’s pivot here for a second,” she hears Linda say, “because I think your issues really have to do with you not addressing the elephant in the room.”</p><p>Maze hears a scoff, followed by an, “I don’t think it does.”</p><p>It sounds disbelieving.</p><p>It sounds familiar.</p><p>Maze looks up from her phone, her eyes narrowed.</p><p>“Well, I do,” she hears Linda say,” I think that not dealing with your trauma has made you cope in ways that are unhealthy. They served you a purpose, at the time, but they no longer serve you as they should. And those problematic coping mechanisms have translated into some rather <em>unhealthy</em> relationships with yourself and others.”</p><p>Maze furrows her eyebrows. It sounded like …</p><p>Inside the office, Natalie shakes her head.</p><p>“I – I would have to disagree with you. I don’t think my past has any relevance with the decisions I make today,” Natalie says.</p><p>“You don’t?” Linda asks.</p><p>“No,” Natalie says, “I mean what happened, happened. I moved on. I’ve done rather well for myself.”</p><p>Natalie shakes her head, “I don’t really see-,” she says, pausing as a gurgle comes up from her gut, and she burps.</p><p>“Excuse me,” Natalie says before going right back into it, “ I don’t see why we need to go into that.”</p><p>“Mm,” Linda says, noting her sudden gas.</p><p>“So, you don’t see how avoiding the truth of your assault has affected you into adulthood?” Linda asks.</p><p>Natalie crosses her legs and sets her hands in her lap. Very closed off and defensive.</p><p>“I mean, it wasn’t a pleasant experience, but you forget I’ve been a cop for a little over a decade. You know, I’ve seen the result of some very … violent assaults. The way I see it I got of-“ she says before pausing.</p><p>She clears her throat, and Linda raises an eyebrow.</p><p>“I got <em>away</em> pretty easily. I didn’t have half the precinct show up to see me at my lowest. I wasn’t pestered by some therapist or … foster worker. I wasn’t questioned, made out to be some helpless kid. I didn’t have people <em>poking</em> at the wreckage for months. I got to heal on my own, away from prying eyes.”</p><p>“But doesn’t that bother you?” Linda asks, “That no one showed up?”</p><p>Natalie opens her mouth to say something before pausing to think about it. She shakes her head.</p><p>“What is done is done. I can’t change the past,” she says, shrugging, “The best revenge is a life well-lived. I …I ended up with a good job. I make good money. I … my life is … its complicated, sure, but it's good.”</p><p>“And these material things help with the trauma, <em>how </em>exactly?” Linda asks.</p><p>Natalie raises a hand to her forehead, trying to rub the wrinkles out of it.</p><p>“I .. I came here to talk about Ms. Smith,” she says, “about her and I dating and …her telling me she loved me. I – I - I didn’t come here to talk about this.”</p><p>“I understand,” Linda says, “ but my job is to ask you tough questions. To unpack the avoidance and denial that has you ignoring some <em>genuine</em> psychological damage that is the result of your assault. If you don’t see how your reaction to a simple statement is related to your trauma, I -“</p><p>“You keep saying that!” Natalie snaps, “I’m not … I’m not some weeping willow, okay? I just … I get it. Shit happened. It sucked. I don’t need you to run a fine-toothed comb through my life and point it all out like I didn’t experience it. Like it didn’t <em>happen</em> to me.”</p><p>Linda raises her eyebrows and speaks in a calm, collected one, “Natalie, that is not what I am doing. I am not saying that it didn’t happen to you.”</p><p>Natalie scoffs, “Well, it certainly feels like it.”</p><p>Linda nods, “Okay, Okay. Let’s … let’s reset here, Alright? Let’s just unpack some of the things you’ve said.”</p><p>“Okay,” Natalie says in a way that sounds <em>less</em> than thankful.</p><p>She sighs and adjusts her self in her seating.</p><p>“You said,” Linda says, her tone calming and soothing, “that you had seen some pretty vicious things in your time as, I assume, a beat cop.”</p><p>“Mm, and Detective, sure,” Natalie responds, still a little flustered.</p><p>“Things that make it seem like what happened to you wasn’t a big deal.”</p><p>“It wasn’t,” Natalie says, “it happens to a lot of people, and you learn that, the more cases you help close. The more you get out into the world and see humanity for what it is.”</p><p>“Does the fact that it happens to a lot of people make you feel good or bad?” Linda asks.</p><p>Natalie pauses, her shoulders more relaxed in her confusion. She shakes her head.</p><p>“I’m sorry, I … I’m not sure I understand the question.”</p><p>“Does the fact that sexual assault is something that is not unique to you, something that happens to a lot of other people, does that make you feel better? Or does it make you feel worse?”</p><p>Natalie shakes her head and shrugs, “I …It just is. I mean, I guess I wouldn’t want it to happen to <em>anyone. </em>So …worse? I suppose.”</p><p>“Mm. That’s your socially acceptable response,” Linda says, “your logic. I’m asking you to tell me how it makes you <em>feel</em>.”</p><p>Natalie shakes her head, not understanding.</p><p>“Just … sit for a moment with that question,” Linda says, “Really think about it, but don’t turn it into a logical thing. A brain exercise. Go with your gut.”</p><p>Natalie sighs and shakes her head for a second.</p><p>“Does knowing it happens to other people make you feel better or worse?” Linda asks again.</p><p>This time Natalie shakes her head and stares off into the distance. Eventually, her head shaking stops, and her brows furrow.</p><p>Linda raises her eyebrows, and Natalie turns to her.</p><p>“Honestly?” she asks.</p><p>Linda nods.</p><p>“I suppose it makes me feel … better,” she says.</p><p>“Why?” Linda asks.</p><p>Natalie shrugs, “I don’t know. I guess… in some fucked up way, it makes it feel like maybe … maybe I’m not alone.”</p><p>“You said you felt like you got away easy,” Linda says, “how so?”</p><p>Natalie shakes her head and straightens her back, her shoulders starting to get tense again.</p><p>“I just … you know it wasn’t uhm,” she says, trying to skirt around the memory.</p><p>She clears her throat again, a lump forming inside of it that she swallowed.</p><p>“I didn’t … there wasn’t a fight. I mean there was, but I didn’t …he didn’t hit me. I didn’t walk away with -”</p><p>She pauses, thinking about what she wants to say, what she <em>can</em> say. Thinking about the detail her brain wants to go into. About what she saw and felt. About the aftermath of everything.</p><p>“He didn’t hit me,” she repeats.</p><p>“Why do you think that was?” Linda asks.</p><p>Natalie shakes her head, her annoyance starting to show.</p><p>“I don’t know,” she says defensively, adjusting herself into her set and turning away from Linda.</p><p>Outside, Maze sits and listens, her eyes stuck to the ground and a strange feeling in her chest. It feels like the feeling at the hospital with Daniel. It’s not sadness.</p><p>Sadness she understands, she’d gotten a good grip on sadness.</p><p>This is like sadness but …</p><p>She narrows her eyes.</p><p>It is … Pity? No, she doesn’t think of Natalie as less than.</p><p>She blinks, trying to pinpoint what it is.</p><p>“Do you think you can talk about it? Walk me through what it was like?” she hears Linda say.</p><p>“Why? What’s the point?” Natalie asks, a small incredulous smile on her face, “you won’t believe me if I told you.”</p><p>Maze turns her head to the door. That is the same thing Natalie had told her. That Maze wouldn’t believe her if she told her.</p><p>Maze stands up and slowly approaches the door. She sets an ear to it, listening in.</p><p>“My job isn’t to believe you,” she hears Linda say, “It’s to help you dissect and get past what <em>you </em>believe. You believe you were assaulted, and you alone have had to deal with that burden for years. I’m not here to tell you what did or did not happen. I’m not here to judge you for what you did or didn’t do. What you said or didn’t say. What you were wearing or weren’t wearing. I’m only here to help you carry that weight to a place where you can eventually put it down.”</p><p>There is silence for a very long time.</p><p>Maze sets a hand on the door. She probably shouldn’t be listening. Clearly, Natalie wasn’t ready to tell her whatever it was, but … she doesn’t quite understand the etiquette of eavesdropping.</p><p>Inside her office, Natalie has her head turned, a pained smile on her face and a tongue in her cheek. She shakes her head as if the idea was laughable. As if fighting with herself.</p><p>“So if you want to tell me,” Linda says, “I’m all ears.”</p><p>Natalie scoffs, a smile on her face meant to hide the welling tears in her eyes. Her smile falls, her face turns towards the window. She continues shaking her head.</p><p>Linda tilts her head, waiting.</p><p>“Do you want to tell me?” Linda asks.</p><p>Natalie shakes her head, a façade of incredulity barely masking the fight with the two halves of herself.</p><p>There is the half that wants to keep it a secret, to take it to the grave. The side that believes there is power in not reacting, in not letting the world know how much it hurts.</p><p>Then there is the half that is drowning beneath the weight of admission. Beneath the constant pain of what happened. Beneath coping mechanisms that stopped working long ago. Even Natalie sees that, but telling another person.</p><p>Telling someone else the secret that she has carried with her …</p><p>Natalie swallows and shakes her head before closing her eyes.</p><p>A choice has been made.</p><p>“Yes,” Natalie responds, after a while, her voice low and soft and not at all like it should be.</p><p>She swallows her spit again, a physical lump in her throat at the thought.</p><p>The thought of telling.</p><p>Then there is silence, more unending silence.</p><p>“Take your time,” Linda says.</p><p>Natalie takes a deep sigh and brings her hand up, pulling a curl of hair behind her ears.</p><p>When she speaks, Natalie’s voice is low and slow; uncomfortable.</p><p>“I ... uhm,” she begins before taking a deep and slow breath.</p><p>She rocks her head from side to side, needing to crack the tension in her neck. It doesn’t work.</p><p>Then she continues again, her voice as crisp and devoid of feeling as possible.</p><p>As if stating the facts on a case or a deposition.</p><p>“I was fourteen.”</p><p>She looks up towards Linda and cautiously locks her eyes onto her. Her eyes are already starting to glisten.</p><p>“I was … troubled. I believe I had been sent back to the group home the week prior,” she says.</p><p>“From a foster home?” Linda asks.</p><p>Natalie nods, “Yes, I wasn’t a fit.”</p><p>“Mm,” Linda hums, nodding to indicate she understands and is listening.</p><p>Natalie shakes her head, “and I mean, I get it. I understand I was a difficult kid, but … it doesn’t make it feel any better.”</p><p>Linda nods.</p><p>Natalie stares out for a while, just staring into emptiness.</p><p>“I uh …,” she says before clearing her throat, trying to keep the lump down, the vomit.</p><p>Trying to stem the tide of nausea developing in her gut that tells her to not think about it. That tells her to avoid it. To push it back down with all the hurt and pain and shame.</p><p>“Uh … I had snuck out after curfew t- to drink some beers with some friends down at the beach.”</p><p>“Beers? How old were your friends?” Linda asks.</p><p>Natalie shrugs, “Late teens. Uhm, I think the oldest was … seventeen?”</p><p>“Where did you the beer from?” Linda asks.</p><p>“One our my friends had an older brother. He got it for us,” Natalie responds.</p><p>“Mmm, and what did you do at the beach?” Linda asks, breaking up Natalie’s thought pattern to keep her from diving too fast too early.</p><p>From bottoming out and crashing.</p><p>“Uh, we talked,” Natalie says, taking the bait, “You know, about our problems. Kid stuff, really. Growing up. Adults not understanding what we were going through.”</p><p>Natalie huffs, amused, “ At the time, it felt good to have someone else that could relate. You know, commiserate.”</p><p>“Misery loves company,” Linda says, nodding.</p><p>Natalie scoffs, a light amusement, “Yeah, yeah,” she says before falling silent again.</p><p>She blinks, her smile falling.</p><p>“Anyway, uhm … that night, I stayed out later than I should have,” she says, “and I had to sneak back in so I wouldn’t get caught.”</p><p>--- ---</p><p>It’s late at night, and a teenage Natalie sneaks around the bushes outside a long gate that leads into Saint Catherine’s Home for Girls.</p><p>She peers around the bushes for a bit until she finds an opening in the gate.</p><p>Here, bent bars allow her to squeeze through without being seen.</p><p>She slides into the opening, her bare knees hitting the ground as she scoots beneath the bars. When she is clear, she straightens her plaid skirt and brushes the dirt off her knees.</p><p>Then, she walks forward, out of the small opening in the bushes.</p><p>She pops out at the edge of a small private garden that opens up into a large grassy field. She is about to exit a bush when, from a bench nearby, she hears a voice.</p><p>“I’d love to come over, or you can come to me,” a male voice says.</p><p>She turns and peers over the bushes to see a man donned in a priest uniform. He’s relatively young, maybe mid- to - early 30’s.</p><p>Black shirt, black pants, and a white collar.</p><p>He sits on a stone bench in the middle of a low row of hedges, a small private area hard to see from the lit-up house just a few yards behind him.</p><p>“He doesn’t have to know,” he says, “Tell your husband you’re going to a church thing. He won't even care.“</p><p>He pauses, listening to the voice on the other end.</p><p>He then chuckles, “Yes, this late. It’s never the wrong time to worship,” he says before turning around to make sure no one is coming behind him.</p><p>“And uh …,” he says, turning back to the phone, “I’d love to get on my knees and worship right about now.”</p><p>He chuckles at the response on the other end.</p><p>“Oh, come on,” he begs, “I’ve been thinking about you all day.”</p><p>His hand moves to his lap, and it looks like he is fumbling for something she can’t see.</p><p>He pauses and listens again before letting out a heavy sigh.</p><p>“Fine … I- I’ll talk to you later, Goodnight,” he says before clicking the phone off.</p><p>He sits there for a moment, disappointed; frustrated. Natalie waits for him to leave before moving, but he doesn’t. He just sits there, brooding.</p><p>Natalie looks around for a bit before deciding it would be best to walk a few yards away from him so she won’t get caught.</p><p>She turns and walks a few steps before she steps on a twig, and it cracks in half.</p><p>The priest immediately lifts his head up and turns to where he heard the twig. She stops and stands still.</p><p>He stands up from the bench and walks a few steps forward.</p><p>“Who is there?” he asks, unsure of that was a person or an animal.</p><p>She pauses and stands completely still.</p><p>He looks around for a moment before chuckling to himself and shaking his head.</p><p>Must be a squirrel, he thinks.</p><p>He turns around and walks back to the bench before plopping down. He pulls his phone out of his pocket and begins to dial a number. If that fish didn’t bite, he had another one that might.</p><p>Natalie slowly takes another step forward, then another and then one more until again she steps on a dry twig.</p><p>The man looks up, stares for a moment then turns to his phone.</p><p>“Sorry, hun. I … I gotta call you back,” he says before hanging up.</p><p>He stands up and approaches the sound.</p><p>“Alright,” he says, convinced it is a human now, “come out. I caught you so you can come out now.”</p><p>Natalie stands still. If she doesn’t come out, he’ll think he is talking to an animal again and maybe leave.</p><p>Except he doesn’t back off, instead he pulls out a small flashlight from his keyring and aims it at the bush. He steps forward just a little bit, and she is immediately caught in his flashlight. Rather, the familiar plaid skirt she has on is caught.</p><p>The priest recognizes the pattern, and let's go an exasperated sigh.</p><p>“Come on,” he says, “I can see you standing there. Let’s go.”</p><p>Natalie sighs and steps out of the bushes. The flashlight blinds her eyes, and she shields it with her hand.</p><p>“Natalie Edwards,” he says as if he isn’t surprised, “of course, it’s you.”</p><p>“I was just … going for a walk,” she says.</p><p>“In the bushes? At –“ he pauses and looks at his watch, “11:28 p.m. at night?”</p><p>“I – I -“ she says, trying to think of an excuse.</p><p>“I – I,” he says, mocking her stutter, “Come on. You should be in your bed by now. You know the curfew is 9:30.”</p><p>“I didn’t- I thought since it was a holiday-“she begins.</p><p>“Not knowing the rules is not an excuse to break them,” he huffs before turning off the flashlight and sliding the phone into his pocket.</p><p>“I don’t understand why you insist on ignoring the rules here. We are only here to help you grow into a productive, God-fearing member of society.”</p><p>“I was just going for a walk,” she says, “It’s not that big of a-“</p><p>“Come on,” he says, grabbing her arm and yanking her towards him, “We’ll see what Mother Angelica has to say about your behavior.”</p><p>He holds tightly onto her arm and begins to drag her towards the house. She willingly goes with him, already upset she’s going to have to write some stupid essay or do more chores for another month.</p><p>Then he pauses and turns to her. His eyebrows furrow, and he leans in close to her face and sniffs.</p><p>“Have you … have you been drinking?” he asks.</p><p>Natalie shakes her head, “No. no, I-“</p><p>“You’re too young to drink!” he says, confused.</p><p>Then his confusion falls into understanding.</p><p>“You’ve been hanging out with those high school boys, haven’t you?” he asks.</p><p>She shakes her head, “No, I swear. I was just going for a walk.”</p><p>He looks her up and down, a strange look in his eyes that she hasn’t experienced before.</p><p>It is hunger, lust.</p><p>He lets her arm go and pushes her back towards the garden.</p><p>“Yeah, you’ve been hanging out with those boys,” he says, his voice lower, deeper.</p><p>She furrows her eyebrows and backs away from him. She doesn’t like his change in tone or disposition. It rings alarm bells in her head, but she is uncertain what those alarm bells mean.</p><p>“You know how teenage boys are,” he says, stepping closer, “it isn’t smart to hang out with them alone.”</p><p>She shakes her head, “I … I don’t know what you are talking about,” she says.</p><p>And it isn’t a lie. She never hangs out with them alone. Always with a group, with other girls. She’s kissed a few of the boys on a dare, but nothing more. They drink by the sea and talk about their problems. Talk about the world that is spinning by without them.</p><p>How could that be bad?</p><p>“You know what they say about girls like you,” he says, his hands moving down to his pants, “I bet those boys don’t even do it right.”</p><p>Her eyes move down to his pants, to the obvious bulge he now grabs tightly, and suddenly it dawns on her. She shakes her head.</p><p>“No, no, I don’t do that,” she says, walking around him, ready to go inside.</p><p>He grabs her arm as she walks by him and yanks her back towards the bushes. She loses her footing and falls into a bush. She gets up quickly and turns to him.</p><p>“You want to be a woman, don’t you?” he says, “hanging out with boys, drinking and bending all the rules.”</p><p>She stares at him, terror in her eyes.</p><p>She shakes her head no and moves to run around him, but he grabs her by her shoulders, and soon she finds herself on the ground, with him on top of her. He leans in to kiss her, and she turns her head away, pushing his face away from her. She digs the heels of her hands into his shoulders. Her attempts at pushing him off, and her angling to get her knees into his gut only makes it easier for him to turn her onto her side.</p><p>She attempts to sit up and push him off, but instead, he puts his weight on to her, hurting her hips. She yells out, and he covers her mouth with his hand. She bites his hand, and he pulls it away, momentarily giving her an out. She takes it and turns onto her stomach to crawl out from under him, but he quickly pounces on her again, pinning her to the ground.</p><p>“Get off me!” she screams, turning as he climbs up her body.</p><p>She begins pummeling her fists into his head.</p><p>He brings his hand up and shoves her head to the ground, holding his palm on her skull.</p><p>“Stop!” she yells as she can feel his free hand fumbling with the hem of her skirt, followed by the cool night air on the back of her thighs.</p><p>She pushes off the ground with all her strength, hoping to destabilize him, but he’s too heavy. She gets nowhere.</p><p>“Stop!” she cries, trying to twist her body away as his hand crawls up her inner thighs, his fingers sneaking beneath the fabric of her underwear.</p><p>She reaches behind her trying to smack his hands away.</p><p>But then …</p><p>And then.</p><p>Natalie forgets her name.</p><p>She forgets her place in the world.</p><p>She thought her first time would be special. She had romanticized it in her head as all girls do. That it would be with the love of her life, or at least someone she really liked.</p><p>That it would be romantic and private. That they would cuddle afterward and make plans for a life together.</p><p>Instead, she finds nothing but fear and shock.</p><p>Instead, she finds a searing pain in a place that is no longer hers.</p><p>She can hear his voice, his grunts, his words of encouragement – of awe at her body.</p><p>Like it is a compliment.</p><p>Like words of love and passion could do anything to fix this moment.</p><p>To make it anything more than what it is.</p><p>Disgusting.</p><p>Cruel.</p><p>Unwelcome.</p><p>Undesired.</p><p>Unholy.</p><p>She should fight back, but she finds herself unable to swim against the swelling tide of shame and guilt.</p><p>Of feeling vulnerable and utterly powerless.</p><p>So, instead, she does what she can. She closes her eyes and locks it all out. She chooses to focus on the sound of cars on the street behind the fence.</p><p>On crickets singing in the distant bushes.</p><p>On anything but the noises, he is making.</p><p>On anything but the nauseating sound of flesh and the jarring pain of violation.</p><p>She escapes into a place in her mind where Natalie doesn’t exist. Where her body doesn’t exist.</p><p>To a place where she is at peace.</p><p>To the sea.</p><p>To the smell of salty water and the warmth of the sand grains beneath her feet.</p><p>To the cry of seagulls gathering bread from nearby trashcans.</p><p>To the smell of burning fire and the distant laughter of carefree children.</p><p>But that is what led her here, isn’t it?</p><p>Connection, friends.</p><p>Wanting so badly to be a part of something.</p><p>Wanting so badly to dull the pain of abandonment.</p><p>Now she wants so badly to dull this pain.</p><p>The pain that curls into her gut and feels an awful lot like humiliation.</p><p>The pain that slowly turns into something pleasurable, like she wants it.</p><p>Like she deserves it.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>-- </em>
</p><p>Inside Linda’s office, Natalie stares forward, her eyes full of terror.</p><p>She dove too quickly.</p><p>“Natalie,” Linda says, sliding off her chair and slowly moving towards her.</p><p>Natalie continues to stare forward, as if not there.</p><p>Reliving it again in her head.</p><p>Hearing it, feeling it.</p><p>Escaping to the sea.</p><p>To the salty wind and the distant sound of sea gulls.</p><p>Seagulls that grunt and moan, that ask her if she likes it.</p><p>To the smell of bonfires whose embers pop and crack to a rhythm she can feel inside of her.</p><p>“Natalie, you’re having a panic attack,” Linda says again as she sits down next to Natalie.</p><p>Natalie’s eyes land on Linda, but Linda can see she is still there in her head.</p><p>“Take deep breaths for me,” she says.</p><p>Natalie continues to stare forward, her body starting to shake. There is a horrible white tint to her face like all the blood has been drained from it. She doesn’t even realize she’s starting to hyperventilate.</p><p>Linda takes in a deep breath, motioning with her hands to get Natalie to follow.</p><p>Natalie doesn’t follow.</p><p>“Come on,” Linda says, taking another deep breath and motioning to get Natalie to follow.</p><p>Natalie takes a deep breath.</p><p>“Good, now exhale.”</p><p>Natalie exhales, and with each second of breath that comes out, her eyes begin to fill with tears.</p><p>“Again,” Linda says, taking a deep breath.</p><p>Natalie breathes in, her eyes closing; blocking everything out.</p><p>“And out,” Linda says.</p><p>Natalie exhales, except this time her breath isn’t smooth. It juts and stutters and comes out in half breathes as she tries not to cry.</p><p>“Now,” Linda says, seeing Natalie is at least somewhat present now.</p><p>Natalie continues to manage her breathing, her eyes shut, attempting to block it out again.</p><p>“I’m going to tell you something that someone should have told you a long time ago,” Linda says, “and I want you to listen to me very closely, okay?”</p><p>Natalie slowly nods, and opens her eyes, the tears fogging up her vision. She blinks and moves to wipe the tears from her eyes.</p><p>Linda waits until Natalie catches her glance again before leaning forward, her words punctuated and leaving little room for misinterpretation.</p><p>“It’s not your fault,” she says.</p><p>Natalie immediately huffs, a strange sound coming from her tightly pursed lips as she holds it in.</p><p>“I think I’m going to be sick,” Natalie grunts, her voice strained.</p><p>Linda jumps up and grabs a trash can by the door before shoving it into Natalie’s lap.</p><p>Natalie holds her head over the trashcan, waiting and trying to steady her breath. She can feel her heart pounding in her chest.</p><p>“It’s not your fault,” Linda says again.</p><p>Natalie shakes her head and swallows, trying to keep the vomit in.</p><p>Linda says it again, “It’s not your fault.”</p><p>“Please stop,” Natalie mumbles.</p><p>Linda nods as Natalie wraps her arms around the lid of the trash can, then sets her head on her wrists. She steadies her breathing, her heartbeat slowing down slightly as she continues to focus on her breathing.</p><p>“This is normal,” Linda says, “we just opened up a very deep wound.”</p><p>“Please stop talking,” Natalie grunts.</p><p>Linda smiles, “I know you don’t want to hear it, but It’s important that I drive the point home that it’s not your fault, Natalie. There is nothing you could have done differently.”</p><p>“I shouldn’t have gone out,” Natalie mutters.</p><p>Her voice echoes into the trashcan.</p><p>“I … I should have stayed in. I should have followed the rules. There was plenty I could have done, but I didn’t.”</p><p>“You were a kid. Kid’s break the rules <em>all</em> the time. I broke the rules <em>all</em> the time,” Linda says, chuckling, “You think he targeted you because you broke a rule? Because you rebelled a little? You think you did something to warrant what happened to you?”</p><p>Natalie shakes her head, and lifts it slightly from the trash can, catching eyes with Linda. Her face is still pale, albeit a strange tint of green now, but not as pale as before.</p><p>“What else was there? Why else would he choose me?” Natalie asks.</p><p>Linda tosses her a sympathetic smile.</p><p>“Exactly. <em>He </em>chose you. It was <em>his</em> choice, not yours. You weren’t given a choice, which means you shouldn’t bare the fault for what happened. He did it, not you.”</p><p>“I’m not stupid,” she says, turning her head back into the trashcan.</p><p>“I didn’t say you were,” Linda says, noticing Natalie putting the walls up again.</p><p>“I realize I put myself in that situation and-“</p><p>“No,” Linda says firmly, her tone unyielding, “you did <em>nothing</em> wrong.”</p><p>“Then, why me?” Natalie asks, irritation pouring through her sadness.</p><p>“I don’t know,” Linda says, “because you were troubled? Because you were crying out for help and you weren’t getting heard? Because no one listened to you? Because he thought no one <em>would</em> listen to you? Predators have many reasons for what they do, but none of them make it right, and none of them make it <em>your</em> fault.”</p><p>Natalie scoffs, “Yeah, well. He was right. No one believed me.”</p><p>Linda nods, “and that is their failing, not yours. They were the adults. They were in charge of protecting you, and you were just a child. They failed you, Natalie. Don’t hold the blame for actions that aren’t yours.”</p><p>Natalie huffs, clears her throat, and sits back against the couch. She reaches a hand up to wipe the sweat off her forehead.</p><p>“Are you okay now?” Linda asks, “you want to keep the trash can here or –“</p><p>Natalie waves her off, and Linda sets the trashcan on the floor nearby.</p><p>Natalie huffs again, still being very careful about her nausea, “Yeah, well, that didn’t stop them from making me out to be some<em> slut</em> who hung out with boys and drank.”</p><p>Linda sighs and stands to move back to her chair.</p><p>“That must have been hard for you to see yourself that way, especially with what you were dealing with.”</p><p>Natalie shakes her head before leaning forward and grabbing another tissue off the coffee table. She dabs her under eyes.</p><p>“There is only one person who made a choice that night,” Linda says, “it wasn’t you. You didn’t decide to become a victim.”</p><p>“Yeah, well, I didn’t fight either,” she says, disgusted with herself now.</p><p>“We all react differently to tra-,” Linda says before pausing, knowing that Natalie doesn’t like that word.</p><p>“We react differently to …<em>upsetting</em> experiences. You’ve heard of the fight or flight response, I take it?” Linda says.</p><p>Natalie nods, placing a hand on her stomach and shifting uncomfortably. She swallows before a burp comes up. It doesn’t look like it feels or tastes good.</p><p>“Well, it should really be called the flight or fight or freeze response. It’s an unconscious response to a harmful event or a threat of survival. It’s like an airbag in a car. It’s automatic and instant, and its meant to keep you alive.”</p><p>Natalie scoffs, “What part of just laying there and - and doing <em>nothing</em> is survival?”</p><p>Linda furrows her eyebrows, “Could you have fought him?” Linda asks.</p><p>“I could have tried,” Natalie says.</p><p>Linda shakes her head, “and you would have ended up with marks and bruises like those girls you talked about. Or worse? Not everyone fights, and that is okay. Sometimes our survival mechanism is to numb ourselves. Disassociate. The problem is you never really stopped disassociating, did you?”</p><p>Natalie shakes her head and closes her eyes. She couldn’t close the blinds, but she could close her eyes. She could retreat into the solitude of her mind.</p><p>“and you’re doing it now,” Linda says.</p><p>Natalie opens her eyes.</p><p>“You’re shutting down. You’re emotionally pulling inward because it's difficult to face what is out here,” Linda says.</p><p>“Can you just … stop. For a second?” she asks, holding a hand out.</p><p>Linda nods, and they sit in silence for a second.</p><p>“And like … not look at me?” Natalie says.</p><p>Linda smiles, “You’re feeling vulnerable. Overwhelmed, I know.”</p><p>“I came here to talk about Maze,” Natalie says.</p><p>“And we will get to her,” Linda says, “but … getting past this going to help you in so many ways. It’s going to be night and day. I <em>promise</em> you.”</p><p>Natalie tenses her jaw and nods. She sits in silence for a moment.</p><p>“Do you want to continue?” Linda asks.</p><p>Natalie shuts her eyes, she shakes her head no, but her mouth says, “Yes.”</p><p>Linda nods and adjusts herself in her seat. They sit in silence for a second.</p><p>“Had you ever had sex before then?” Linda asks.</p><p>Natalie takes a moment, a long moment before she turns her eyes to Linda. Her eyes lower to her hands, and she shakes her head no.</p><p>Linda takes a deep breath and nods.</p><p>“That must have been difficult,” Linda says, “a young girl, on the verge of discovering the pleasures of sex and relationships and love.”</p><p>Natalie scoffs.</p><p>Linda shakes her head, “I can’t imagine how that felt,” Linda says, watching Natalie look everywhere but at her.</p><p>“Why don’t you tell me?” she continues, tilting her head to try and catch Natalie’s averted gaze.</p><p>“Let’s start with what you did after your assault,” Linda says, “did you tell anyone? A nurse or a friend?”</p><p>Natalie stares out, her eyes are distant but a little clearer. Her tone is sorrowful, but her shoulders looser. Like already, the weight of her confession is off them.</p><p>She shakes her head.</p><p>“No. No one. I didn’t tell anyone,” she says, “I … I brushed the dirt off my clothes…”</p><p>She blinks, her head moving forward to force the words out, “and then I, I went to my room. And I …I-I washed him off me.”</p><p>Linda nods, “And what were you thinking or feeling at that moment?”</p><p>Natalie shakes her head and closes her eyes, “I don’t … I don’t remember having thoughts,” she says, “I … I just…”</p><p>“You were in shock,” Linda says, “something distressing happened to you and … again, you withdrew emotionally. You put yourself on somewhat of an autopilot.”</p><p>Natalie blankly nods.</p><p>“What was the first emotion you remember feeling?” Linda asks.</p><p>Natalie answers quickly as if she hadn’t had to give it a second thought.</p><p>“Anger,” she says.</p><p>Linda nods, “That is reasonable. I don’t think anyone would blame you for feeling angry.“</p><p>The door slams and Linda and Natalie sit up and turn their heads to the door. Linda’s eyebrows furrow.</p><p>--</p><p>On the other side of the door, Maze stands with her hand against it. Her eyes are filled with tears. It’s a strange juxtaposition between devastation and rage. They fight for dominance.</p><p>“I don’t … I don’t remember having thoughts,” she hears Natalie say clearly.</p><p>“You were in shock,” she hears Linda says, followed by whatever brain theory she had.</p><p>But Maze isn’t interested in that. Linda will fix whatever brain thing she needed to do with Natalie. Linda worked in the world of thought and emotions.</p><p>Not like Maze.</p><p>No, her strong suit was somewhere else entirely.</p><p>And that is when rage wins in her eyes.</p><p>She shouldn’t be hearing this, she absolutely knows she shouldn’t. But that guilt for hearing something Natalie obviously feels uncomfortable telling her about is non-existent. Soul or no soul, she is a demon, and at this point, she needs that. She needs to be consumed by this scorching, boiling rage inside of her.</p><p>So much rage that it temporarily cures the confusion brewing in her chest. It makes her feel as she should.</p><p>As a demon.</p><p>As a being whose sole purpose is to torture and maim and hurt wicked humans.</p><p>She narrows her eyes, her jaw clenches, and her fists ball up.</p><p>“Anger,” Natalie says.</p><p>Maze needed a name, and she knew Natalie wouldn’t give it to her.</p><p>It’s lucky then, she thinks, because she knows someone who will.</p><p>Maze turns and heads towards the door. She swings it open so hard it hits the wall before she walks away quickly.</p><p>Seconds later, the door to Linda’s office opens, and Linda stares out into an empty office. Her eyes move to the slowly closing door waiting room door. She watches the door, having an idea of who was just here. She turns and offers an appeasing smile to Natalie.</p><p>“Sorry, must have been the … the cleaning lady,” she says, softly shutting her door.</p><p>Natalie nods, and Linda sits back down.</p><p>They sit in silence as Linda attempts to get them back on track. Natalie’s eyes flip back and forth between Linda and the table. It’s strange, like a child retelling a story, unsure if they will get in trouble or not. Unsure in general.</p><p>Unsure of what happens now. Now that it is out in the air between them.</p><p>How much more would she have to reveal?</p><p>How much more would she have to relive?</p><p>How much more of herself would she have to give? To confess.</p><p>But, at least Linda believed her. At least she cared to fix it.</p><p>Linda tilts her head.</p><p>“What are you feeling now?” she asks.</p><p>Natalie shakes her head.</p><p>“I don’t know,” she says.</p><p>Linda nods, “Mmm.”</p><p>They sit in silence for a moment.</p><p>“Betrayed,” Natalie says, her mind roaming onto Liz.</p><p>Onto her wedding.</p><p>Onto inviting that man back into her life.</p><p>Making her relive those moments she had thought she could leave behind.</p><p>Moments she thought she could fix with a badge and a gun.</p><p>With a dope-ass apartment in the sky.</p><p>With a host of beautiful women who didn’t mind being touched.</p><p>With power and authority.</p><p>“You<em> should</em> feel betrayed,” Linda says, “That’s good. Betrayal means you understand you were an innocent party.”</p><p>Natalie scoffs, “He was supposed to be a man of God,” she says, reaching up and dabbing her nose, “Believe it or not, there was one point I was actually religious. I thought if people didn’t want me, at least God wanted me, right?”</p><p>Natalie chuckles to herself as if that was a stupid idea.</p><p>Then her smile falls, and she stares out blankly again.</p><p>“Do you know what it is like to feel abandoned by God?” she asks.</p><p>Linda shakes her head, “I can’t imagine.”</p><p>“Hopeless,” Natalie says, “Empty. I thought if my parents didn’t want me, at least I had God. At least I had someone or something out there in the universe who cared. To lose that was …it was probably the worse thing that man ever did to me.”</p><p>“Mmm. Is that how you still feel?” Linda asks.</p><p>Natalie pauses, her eyes going distant for a second.</p><p>After a moment, she nods.</p><p>“Sometimes,” she admits, “most of the time, actually.”</p><p>“Mm,” Linda says, leaning back in her chair.</p><p>“Do you recall feeling this way before your assault?” Linda asks.</p><p>Natalie furrows her eyebrows.</p><p>“I…,” she begins shaking her head, “No.”</p><p>The look on her face is that of realization, and Linda nods.</p><p>“So …you would say that maybe this event affected you more than you realized.”</p><p>“I guess,” Natalie says, tilting her head still trying to pinpoint feeling so empty.</p><p>Before him, she had hope. She had the understanding that her situation was temporary.</p><p>After, she supposes she felt it would just be more of the same. That pain and hurt was just how it would be, how it would always be.</p><p>“What about your relationships? How do you think this event has translated into how you respond to others.”</p><p>“I guess I did come in here about Ms. Smith,” she says.</p><p>“Ah, you mean the woman who says she loves you, that practically lives with you, and yet you insist on calling her by her last name.”</p><p><em>Not that Natalie needed to know it wasn’t really her last name</em>, Linda thinks.</p><p>She supposes that might come later. That might be a conversation she really needed to clear her calendar for.</p><p>“I … I guess I may have overreacted a bit,” she concedes, “But I …love is a big word for me.”</p><p>“Because you don’t believe in it,” Linda says.</p><p>Natalie nods.</p><p>“and why would you? You told me that you feel your parents didn’t love you,” she begins.</p><p>“They abandoned me on the steps of a fire station. Clearly, they didn’t love me,” Natalie says.</p><p>“and you don’t believe God loves you,” Linda continues.</p><p>“I did nothing to him to deserve what he let that man do to me,” Natalie says, steadfast in her conviction, “So either he doesn’t exist and therefore can’t love me, or he <em>does</em> exist, allowed it to happen and therefore doesn’t love me. Either way, the conclusion is the same.”</p><p>“Right,” Linda says, “So why would you believe that love is possible when the two sources of what <em>should</em> be unconditional love … they don’t exist for you.”</p><p>Natalie pauses, her eyes moving down as she thinks about that.</p><p>“Could it be that Maze saying she loves you isn’t actually about Maze’s feelings?” Linda asks, “Could it be more about how you feel about love in general?”</p><p>Natalie just stares at her, her eyes wide in realization.</p><p>“You got all of that out of what I said?” she asks.</p><p>Linda smiles, “I know, I’m good.”</p><p>“I …” Natalie says her head moving to the side as the processes all of that.</p><p>Maybe Linda was right, she hadn’t thought of it that way before. That her feelings might be independent of others. That what she thought and felt about love and whether it was real or not meant nothing for Maze. If Maze believed what she was feeling was real then …</p><p>“So … so she loves me?” Natalie says, that thought sitting with her for a moment.</p><p>She says it as if she finally believes it. Slowly a strange smile curves onto the corner of her mouth. It looks like elation, surprise, joy.</p><p>Linda smiles and nods.</p><p>“I believe that is what we call progress,” Linda says.</p><p>“I guess I do have a lot of hang ups that I need to sort thr-“ Natalie begins.</p><p>Natalie’s phone rings, and she jumps for a second before turning to her purse. She sorts through it for a moment before picking it up.</p><p>“Edwards,” she says, listening to the line.</p><p>She nods as she listens, “Yeah. Yeah, just leave it on my desk, and I’ll get it sorted.”</p><p>She hangs up the phone and shoves it into her purse before turning to Linda and nodding.</p><p>“I have to go,” she says.</p><p>“You’re going to work?” Linda asks.</p><p>“Yeah, duty calls, you know,” Natalie says, standing up.</p><p>“Uh, we just had a really massive breakthrough. It’s a huge emotional wound we just opened. You’re going to be drained, emotionally. I think you should call out today. Take some time to reflec-“</p><p>“I appreciate the concern, but I’m fine,” Natalie says, heading towards the door, “I … I feel better. Honestly.”</p><p>Linda sighs and watches as Natalie opens the door.</p><p>“When was the last time you took a day off?” Linda asks.</p><p>“I’ll be fine,” Natalie says, “Work allows me to … think.”</p><p>“You mean to avoid, ignore,” Linda says.</p><p>Natalie smiles and shakes her head, “If anything comes up you’ll be the first to know,” she says.</p><p>“Take the day off,” Linda says, not asking.</p><p>Natalie chuckles, “I can’t just take a day off.”</p><p>“Yes, you can. Call in sick.”</p><p>“But I’m not sick?” Natalie says.</p><p>“Are you … afraid of breaking a rule?” Linda asks.</p><p>Natalie scoffs, “Don’t be ridiculous. I just have a lot of work to do and-“</p><p>“Take the day off,” Linda says, “if you don’t call it in, I will. And hey who knows, maybe your employer has some really good medical benefits for therapy. We could probably get you to come in three time a week.”</p><p>Natalie narrows her eyes.</p><p>She inhales and shakes her head before exhaling, exasperated.</p><p>“Fine,” she says reluctant, “I’ll … take the day off.”</p><p>“That means no working from home, either,” Linda says.</p><p>Natalie rolls her eyes and opens the door before walking out, frustrated.</p><p>Linda shakes her head before sighing. Then a small smile comes to her face.</p><p>Maze.</p><p>In Love.</p><p>---- -- --- --- -- -</p><p>Back in the penthouse, Amenadiel and Father Kyle are deep in conversation. Lucifer is off to the side, annoyed by their intrusion. But probably more so by the blockage in his intestines.</p><p>“Why didn’t you tell me Ezria visited you?” Amenadiel says to Father Kyle, panic in his eyes, “What did you tell him?”</p><p>Father Kyle ignores Amenadiel and stares at Lucifer, “He looks just like you,” he says in awe, “Why doesn’t he have his own book?”</p><p>“Not all angels have their own book,” Amenadiel says.</p><p>The priest eyes narrow, “and somehow that doesn’t disturb you that<em> he</em> should have his own book?” the priest asks, pointing to lucifer.</p><p>“If you’re going to talk about me, at least include me in the conversation,” Lucifer says.</p><p>“Father,” Amenadiel says, “What did you tell Ezria.”</p><p>“I told him what I knew at the time,” he says.</p><p>Amenadiel groans, “You didn’t.”</p><p>“I told him that Lucifer should find his place in God’s kingdom.”</p><p>Lucifer hisses and shakes his head. Even he knows that’s bad.</p><p>Father Kyle turns to Lucifer, “He’s not even in the bible,” Father Kyle says, going back to Ezria, “ Why is he not in the bible?’</p><p>“Trust me, he’s as incensed about it as I am.”</p><p>“He called himself the snake of Eden. What did he mean by that?” Father Kyle says.</p><p>“Well, I thought it quite obvious,” Lucifer says, “You know, in the garden with the apple. Honestly, I thought that would be Christianity 101.”</p><p>Father Kyle nods, “So it’s true …,” he says, turning to sit on a stool in front of the bar.</p><p>“The snake of Eden,” he whispers to himself before his eyebrows furrow deeply.</p><p>He stares into nothingness for a long time. Lucifer and Amenadiel look at one another before Lucifer pipes up.</p><p>“Right,” Lucifer says, moving back to the kettle and testing the water.</p><p>It’s still slightly too hot.</p><p>“Well, I’m experiencing a bit of intestinal discomfort, and I still have a dinner to plan so … unless you’d like to watch me give myself an enema, it’s probably best you go about your day,” he says.</p><p>“Duality,” Father Kyle pipes up, his eyes still staring into nothingness.</p><p>He shakes his head, “The nature of man. Is Ezria becoming human too?” Father Kyle asks Lucifer.</p><p>Lucifer chuckles, “Well from your description Ezria still has his wings, so I’m going to go out on a limb and say no. I’m sure he’s already reprised his role as new King of Hell.”</p><p>Lucifer pauses, as if thinking about what will happen when he goes back to hell.</p><p>“Well … that’s going to be an awkward conversation,” he says to himself, “Though I suppose I don’t mind giving up my reign as long as he doesn’t lock <em>me</em> in a cage.”</p><p>Father Kyle mumbles to himself, his eyes blinking.</p><p>“Why wouldn’t he be in the bible?” he says to himself, “Why would he be kept a-“</p><p>He looks up at Lucifer as Lucifer tosses the tea bag into the kettle.</p><p>“Where were you?” Father Kyle asks Lucifer.</p><p>“Hmm?” Lucifer hums, coming around the bar.</p><p>“When your brother was in the garden, where were you?”</p><p>Lucifer looks at Father Kyle and shakes his head, “So you’re playing Detective now,” he says as if impressed.</p><p>“Luci…,” Amenadiel asks, insinuating he should answer the question.</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, “I couldn’t give you proper coordinates, brother. It was such a long time ago, but I was … off exploring the world. It was so new at that time.”</p><p>“So, you never went into the garden?” Father Kyle asks.</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, “As if I would have wanted anything to do with father’s creations. You know, contrary to popular belief, my anger on my immediate fall was isolated to him, not the things my brothers created. My escape to earth was purely for pleasure, I assure you. I wanted to smell the flowers and - and watch the insects.”</p><p>Lucifer’s eyes go distant.</p><p>“I wanted to … stare at the stars,” he says longingly, “Not toy with whatever creation God had mustered to replace us. To replace <em>me</em>.”</p><p>Father Kyle’s eyes narrow, “So you never went into the garden?” he asks, needing an answer.</p><p>Lucifer chuckles at the audacity, “No!” he says before his smile falls, “I mean … I may have walked past it a few times. Peaked in to catch a glimpse. It’s quite difficult to explore and avoid creatures that seem to come with their own inbuilt curiosity.”</p><p>Father Kyle stares at Lucifer, and Lucifer’s indignation falls slightly into suspicion.</p><p>“Why do you ask?”</p><p>Father Kyle slides off the stool.</p><p>“Because,” he says, “the book of Samael is about the duality of man and there seems nothing more <em>dual </em>than identical twins who are exact opposites of one another. You, possibly one of the more notorious Angels and him … completely unknown. You are identical, and yet you have a book, and he doesn’t. Why?”</p><p>Lucifer looks at Amenadiel. Amenadiel shakes his head as if he had finally realized perhaps having a human try to figure out the divine plan was … too much for a single mind.</p><p>“Yes, well …you tried brother,” Lucifer says to Amenadiel, recognizing that look.</p><p>“If I were to try and tempt you right now,” Father Kyle says, “to … to eat a live squid. Would you do it?”</p><p>Lucifer chuckles, “Why would I do a silly thing like that?”</p><p>“Because I am tempting you,” Father Kyle says.</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, “Well, you’re going to have to try harder to get to do something I have no desire to –“ he begins before he pauses.</p><p>His eyebrows furrow, and his back straightens. Father Kyle nods.</p><p>“you cannot have temptation without desire,” Father Kyle says, “Like you cannot have happiness without sadness. Light without dark. Good without evil. You must understand what something is <em>not</em> before you can understand what it is. Duality.”</p><p>Lucifer furrows his eyebrows, “I did not have anything to do with the garden, if that is what you are insinuating,” Lucifer says, offended.</p><p>Father Kyle shakes his head, “The tree of knowledge of good and evil was not only about good and evil. It was knowledge of everything about our place within the world. Of our bodies and what they could do. What if … what if Eve saw you, if even for a brief second, and saw something she desired?”</p><p>Lucifer’s eyes narrow even further.</p><p>“So much so that when a snake offered the knowledge of things she couldn’t understand. Of her own body, of a world outside the garden … she was so <em>eager</em> to take it. Why else would she willingly abandon the safety of God?”</p><p>“Are you suggesting the fall of man was because mortal wanted to get thier bits tickled?” Lucifer asks, fully aware of the audacity of that statement.</p><p>“That’s a bit rich coming from a priest,” Lucifer scoffs.</p><p>Father Kyle nods and scoffs, “So then what were you doing near the garden?” he asks Lucifer.</p><p>Lucifer shakes his head, “I told you. I was looking at the work of my brothers.”</p><p>“But you should have been in Hell,” Father Kyle says.</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, “I didn’t have to spend long there to know I didn’t desire it now, did I? Plus it … it was hard having to face the constant bitching of my brothers and sisters.”</p><p>Amenadiel nods, “there were unhappy in the early days,” he confirms.</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, “Understatement of the …well, eternity.”</p><p>“So I spent some time on earth,” Lucifer continues ,”Enjoying the crisp snow of the mountains, the humid air of the forests. The springs, both hot and cold. It was … it was probably the most peaceful months of my existence.”</p><p>“Months?” Father Kyle asks.</p><p>Lucifer nods, “Mm. That’s about how long it took for Amenadiel to find me and bring me back,” Lucifer says, cutting his eyes to Amenadiel.</p><p>Amenadiel rolls his eyes.</p><p>Then Lucifer pauses and tilts his head. He stares at Amenadiel for a very long time.</p><p>“It was my first visit to earth,” Lucifer says, “I stayed there for many months until you found me.”</p><p>Lucifer furrows his eyebrows.</p><p>“Why did it take you so long?” he asks.</p><p>Amenadiel turns to Lucifer, “what?’</p><p>“When I came to earth. You always found me within a relatively short amount of time, but … that first time it took you months. Why did it take you so long? The world was much newer then, much less mortals to sort through.”</p><p>Amenadiel shakes his head and shrugs, “It wasn’t my task then.”</p><p>Lucifer stares out, thinking.</p><p>He had free reign to walk the Earth. It’s almost as if-</p><p>“He wanted me on earth,” Lucifer says, the realization hitting him.</p><p>They stand in silence for a bit, all thinking. Lucifer sighs, deep in thought as he turns to walk back to the kettle. He is silent, his brain thinking, ruminating.</p><p>Father had wanted him on earth. But why?</p><p>When he reaches the kettle, he removes it from its heating element and shuffles over to the bedroom steps.</p><p>“Do you know what an identical twin is?” Father Kyle asks.</p><p>Lucifer sighs, this conversation going on too long for his liking. Especially now that he had that unanswered question in his head.</p><p>“In gestation, the egg divides as it grows. With Identical twins, the egg divides into two separate cells with similar DNA structures, that grow into beings on their own. Two children from one egg.”</p><p>“I don’t need a lesson in biology,” Lucifer says, turning to enter his bathroom.</p><p>“What would God need with twins?” Father Kyle asks.</p><p>There is silence from the bathroom.</p><p>“From my understanding, from what you told me,” Father Kyle says, turning to Amenadiel, “Angels are pulled from the stars. Created individual and given gifts imbued by God himself. They aren’t gestated like human children.”</p><p>“There are many angels who would be considered,” Amenadiel says, “twins or …quadruplets or …”</p><p>“Whatever the number is for eighty-seven,” Lucifer says from his bathroom.</p><p>Amenadiel nods, “there are many angels who have been pulled from the same cosmic source.”</p><p>“Identical twins means they came from one egg or … in this case one source. One source that was split into<em> two</em> separate angels,” Father Kyle says.</p><p>Lucifer slowly comes out of the bathroom, his eyebrows furrowed, and the question sitting in his head like a ticking time bomb. He’s never asked himself that. Why, of all his children, Lucifer and Ezria were the only pair. The only angels to share a face.</p><p>The only ones stuck to the hip, going where each other goes. They had been in the Silver city together, in the garden together, even in hell together. This is the longest time they’ve been apart, and now that Lucifer is becoming human, did that mean Ezria would too?</p><p>Why wasn’t Ezria on earth with him now?</p><p>“So why would God go through all the trouble of creating two angels almost exactly alike in every way?” Father Kyle asks.</p><p>Lucifer shakes his head. He doesn’t know. He legitimately doesn’t know. It had always been and had no reason to question it. Or maybe at some point, he did but …didn’t care to know.</p><p>“What if,” Father Kyle says, searching his own mind for the truth, “what if there is only supposed to be one of you?”</p><p>“What are you saying?” Amenadiel asks.</p><p>“I’m saying the real key to finding out the truth lies with your brother. With Ezria. If Lucifer is human, that means he’s changed his form and if my hunch is right, that means Ezria has changed too. The question is … if not human, what has he changed into?”</p><p>--</p><p>Inside her office, Elizabeth Candler sits at her desk reading over case files. On one side of her, she has legal documents pulled up on her computer. The other side of her desk has photos and notes from various interviews.</p><p>At the edge, in a corner by a stack of papers, is a photo of her and her wife.</p><p>Magdeline Candler.</p><p>“Mm,” she hums to herself before turning to a nearby phone, “I need precedence.”</p><p>She presses the intercom button.</p><p>“Melissa?” she asks, “Can you pull up the case files from Johnson v Smith, 1994 for me? It’s a civil case, so it should be relatively easy to find.”</p><p>Liz lets go of the intercom button and turns back to the files. She waits for a few seconds before realizing she didn't get a response.</p><p>She presses the button</p><p>“Melissa?”</p><p>She lets go of the button. Waits and receives no response.</p><p>“Hello? Is this thing on?” she asks, holding down the button again.</p><p>When she doesn’t get a response again, she groans and stands up before walking around her desk and swinging her office door open.</p><p>“Melissa is your phone-“ she begins to say before pausing.</p><p>Instead of Melissa, an exceptionally calm and composed Mazikeen sits at the receptionist's desk with her feet up on a stack of papers.</p><p>Liz tilts her head, surprised. She looks around.</p><p>“Ms. Smith,” she says, surprised, “What are you doing here?”</p><p>Liz looks around for a moment before turning to Maze, “and where is Melissa?”</p><p>“Lunch,” Maze says, popping the red lollipop out of her mouth.</p><p>She shakes her foot slowly, a little too comfortable.</p><p>“Oh, I don’t recall …what are you doing here?” Liz asks.</p><p>Maze narrows her eyes, “ I don’t know,” she says, “I’m conflicted.”</p><p>“Conflicted?”</p><p>“It’s a strange feeling,” Maze nods, as she tries to pinpoint it, “ part of me feels like I should be with her. Doing what? I’m not sure, but the other part ….”</p><p>Maze squints her eyes for a moment.</p><p>“The other part wants a name,” Maze finishes, sticking the lollipop back in her mouth.</p><p>“I … I don’t know what you’re talking about, but …,” Liz says, looking around, “did you need something? Is everything okay?”</p><p>“I wanted to ask you a few questions about Natalie,” she says, popping the lollipop out of her mouth and twirling it in her fingers.</p><p>“Oh,” Liz says, her shoulders dropping, “We … well, we don’t speak to one another anymore. I'm sure she told you that.”</p><p>Maze nods, “She did.”</p><p>“So, I’m afraid I can’t really help you with any issue you might be having.”</p><p>“It’s about a priest,” Maze says.</p><p>Liz looks around for a moment before nodding. She opens the door to her office wider.</p><p>“Maybe we should discuss this in my office,” she says, “Did you want to come in?”</p><p>Maze scoffs and slides the chair from under the table, her feet getting under her faster than they should.</p><p>“Oh Yeah,” she says as she walks past Liz and into her office, “That I’m sure of.”</p><p>Liz clears her throat and walks back into her office, shutting the door behind her.</p><p>Maze paces around the edge of her office. She takes in all of the books on a bookshelf and certificates on the wall.</p><p>“I didn’t expect to see you today,” Liz says with an awkward chuckle, “It’s been … well, it’s been a while, hasn’t it?”</p><p>Maze continues to walk around the edge of the office, taking in everything. Stalling. Trying to understand this feeling in her that is holding her back. Now that the complete rage has dissipated, she’s left with …</p><p>“Are you still seeing Nat? How is she?” Liz asks.</p><p>Maze turns to Liz, locking her eyes on her.</p><p>“What did you fight about?” Maze asks.</p><p>“Pardon?” Liz says.</p><p>“You two had a fight, and after that, she didn’t mention you again. I mean, I’m all for it. Personally, I’m not the biggest fan of you.“</p><p>“I gathered,” Liz says with a small guffaw.</p><p>“But you had a fight, and then she …” Maze says, trailing off.</p><p>Not knowing how to say Natalie broke down. That she fell apart in Maze’s arms. That she became different, if only for a few hours.</p><p>Natalie wasn’t a fan of showing emotions, let alone letting other people know how much they affected her. That she could understand. Perhaps that is why spending time with her had come easy. She was easy to understand. They could …<em> feel</em> with one another, and no one would know.</p><p>She would do anything to protect that.</p><p>“She uh … had a rough night,” Maze says, choosing to be less descriptive.</p><p>Liz sighs and shakes her head, “It was …a personal matter,” she says, “a misunderstanding.”</p><p>“Did she tell you?” Maze asks, keeping her eyes on Liz as she moves, “about what happened to her?”</p><p>Liz rolls her eyes and nods, “She told me about what she <em>thinks </em>might have happened to her, sure.”</p><p>Maze’s eyes narrow, “Think?”</p><p>Liz sighs and shakes her head, “Ms. Smith, if you’re here to get some sort of guidance on what you’ve learned, I’m afraid I can’t help you. I … look. Nat believes it happened and I’m sorry she believes that but-“</p><p>“But <em>you</em> don’t believe her,” Maze interrupts, starting to see where Natalie might have gotten the idea that no one would believe her.</p><p>Liz shakes her head, “I’m a lawyer. I deal with false allegations all the time, and I just don’t … her case wouldn’t hold up in court. That is all I will say.”</p><p>Maze shakes her head, “Natalie isn’t very open with anything. If she told you that means she trusted you.”</p><p>Liz nods, “and I’m happy to know that she trusted me enough to tell me. As far as I know, I was the first person she told. So believe me, I understand the gravity of it. but …I just don’t think Father Grayson is capable of that.”</p><p>Maze pauses.</p><p>A name.</p><p>She had gotten a name.</p><p>“Father Grayson?” she asks, to be certain, “the dude Maggie said was asking for her at that dinner we went to? The priest you had run your wedding?”</p><p>Liz nods, “I see how that might seem like a harsh move, but again I don’t think he is capable of that kind of thing. I think the hurt is real, the experience is real, and I truly wish none of that ever happened to Nat. I think she might have been a far …she might have been a <em>different</em> person.”</p><p>Liz sighs, “Sometimes I wonder if she and I would have actually made it if she didn’t have all that … mental stuff, but … no use crying over spilled milk, I suppose.”</p><p>“I <em>like</em> who she is,” Maze says, furrowing her eyebrows.</p><p>Liz shrugs, “Look, all I’m saying is that I don’t think he could do something like that. Maybe she’s trying to offload the hurt of a <em>real</em> experience onto someone who is just going to turn the other cheek. I don’t know why, but I know that Father Grayson is a <em>decent </em>man. After she told me, I did some digging. You know, lawyer stuff. No complaints have ever been filed against him. Maggie went to that same home, and she never had any issues with him. She never heard any rumors, no other girls ever confided that kind of secret. I mean, he was like a father to most of those girls and … I just don’t see him violating that bond.”</p><p>“Have you ever considered that no complaints against him might not necessarily mean he’s innocent. I mean, Natalie clearly didn’t tell anyone, so what if other girls didn’t either?” Maze asks.</p><p>Liz nods her head, “Mmm, I … I can see you really love her,” Liz says, “If you’re willing to go against all proof-“</p><p>“And I can tell you never did, if you required it,” Maze says.</p><p>They stare at one another for a while, Liz taking that in. She shakes her head and moves to sit at her desk.</p><p>“I don’t know what you want from me, Ms. Smith,” Liz says.</p><p>Maze approaches her desk.</p><p>“If you think the hurt is real, even if you don’t believe he did it, then why did you invite him? Why did you have him run your wedding? You’re just bringing the pain back up,” Maze says.</p><p>Liz scoffs, “It was <em>my</em> wedding. I shouldn’t have to worry about <em>her</em> at <em>my </em>wedding.”</p><p>Maze just stares at Liz, a disgusted look on her face.</p><p>“You’re an <em>actual</em> bad person,” Maze says as if it’s been a while since she’s seen one.</p><p>As if the parade of horrible people she’d hunted and brought to human justice were child’s play. Good or average people caught in bad behavior or pretending to be bad people.</p><p>But a real one? A real horrible person?</p><p>A real horrible person masquerading as a decent human being?</p><p>Liz scoffs, amused, “I’m a lawyer, Ms. Smith. If I had a penny for every time I heard that I’d be rich. Well … <em>richer</em>.”</p><p>“I’ve dealt with people like you before,” Maze says, her arms lowering and her stance switching into something that demands respect and authority.</p><p>“People like you think you’re the smartest most misunderstood human to ever walk the earth,” she says, leaning onto Liz’s desk.</p><p>Liz looks down at Maze’s hands as they hit her desk, then her eyes roll up to Maze.</p><p>“But you all bleed the same,” Maze says, a strange sensuality in her voice, “You all cry and scream and repent as if that might do anything.”</p><p>There is unwavering stability in her voice when she speaks. So sure she is of her words.</p><p>Liz narrows her eyes as Maze slowly walks around the side of the desk.</p><p>“Are you threatening me?” Liz asks, offended.</p><p>“I’m giving you a glimpse of your future,” she says, shaking her head as she grabs Liz’s chair and spins it, so Liz faces her.</p><p>Liz moves to stand, but Maze already has her hands on the armrests, leaning in further.</p><p>“I can’t wait for you to die,” Maze says, a sickening joy in her voice, “my only regret is that I am here and not back in Hell.”</p><p>“I wonder if they will let me watch?” she asks, a silver starting to burn into her eyes.</p><p>Liz’s eyes furrow, as if wondering if she sees correctly. Then her eyes widen in shock, in horror.</p><p>“Hmm? If they will let me sit so close to you that I can feel the heat off their blades,” Maze asks, half of her face caving in and rotting until there is only sinew and bone exposed.</p><p>Liz just stares forward, her jaw agape and her body starting to shiver in terror.</p><p>Maze’s eyes drip down Liz’s body, but the gaze isn’t lustful. It isn’t about sex or hunger but another type of longing all together.</p><p>She visually dissects every muscle and bone attaches to Liz’s frame, staring at it like she understands how it works. Like she wants to pull it apart and yank on the tendons like Liz were a marionette.</p><p>“I want to watch them filet you like a fish. Fuck you with your own body parts,” she says, heat curling in her loins at the thought.</p><p>It had been so long.</p><p>Liz’s eyes start to water as she stares forward, her body still, frozen in terror.</p><p>Maze huffs, arousal coursing heavy in her veins. It had been so long since she last had sex. With Natalie temporarily celibate and no interest in random hookups … she had been left to handle things on her own. There was not much her hands or toys could do to compare to Natalie’s mouth.</p><p>The thought of torture always got her riled up, though, and even without needing sex badly, she doubts she could have last long against the prospect of torture.</p><p>“I could watch them take that pretty little face of yours and turn it inside out,” she says, her breathing getting heavy the more she thinks about it.</p><p>She steps forward, her legs draping over the chair, allowing her to straddle Liz’s lap.</p><p>She takes her hand and grabs onto Liz’s face, squeezing it tightly.</p><p>She gasps, pleasure on her tongue as she thinks about it.</p><p>“I could watch them disembowel you slowly,” she says, her eyes ping-ponging between Liz’s, “Pull out every meter of your intestines so you could see it. So you could <em>watch</em>.”</p><p>She pants now, the excitement, the idea of it sending blood rushing between her legs. She throbs, trying to keep herself from grinding into Liz’s lap.</p><p>“Or better yet,” she says, her eyes widening, “I could participate. I could get my fingers beneath your muscles and feel the warmth.”</p><p>She pauses, her breathing heavy. Liz just stares at her in frozen fear. Maze lips get close to Liz’s face, her chest heaving with each heavy breath. She grinds a little into Liz’s lap, trying to cool the hot ache between her legs.</p><p>“Are you as hot as I am?” she asks.</p><p>Liz just stares at her, a small, terrified squeal leaving her throat. The terrified squeal catches her off guard as if she had just been faced with a mirror.</p><p>Maze pauses. She stares at a terrified Liz for a moment before sitting back, her eyes wide.</p><p>She furrows her eyebrows.</p><p>“What am I doing?” she asks before climbing off of Liz’s lap.</p><p>Liz deserved every bit of pain that was coming to her, had to be coming to her, in the afterlife. But Maze … that wasn’t who she was anymore, was it?</p><p>She couldn’t deny the thought of torture did things to her, but how much of that was wanting to see Liz hurt for what she had done? How much of that was Maze truly wanting to torture again?</p><p>There was a pull, the thought of it sent a jolt of electricity to the still-hot core of her body. But hell was different than she remembered it. Maybe torture would be too.</p><p>And what would Natalie think? Natalie was all about rules and procedures. If Maze even touched a hair on Liz’s head, she would never hear the end of it. Mabe even more, Natalie would leave. Since Maze had told Natalie she loved her, Natalie was already on the verge of leaving.</p><p>“You’re,” she says, leaning against Liz’s desk, “You’re not worth it.”</p><p>She looks at Liz, as if that idea of choosing not to torture were strange.</p><p>“I don’t care what they do to you,” she says, trying to ignore the throbbing between her legs, “the thought that you will get punished maybe … maybe that is enough.”</p><p>She says that, even as her body aches, begging for release. It had been too long. Too long since Natalie had cuffed her to the bed, brought her to the edge, and pulled away. She needed Natalie to … to want to have sex again.</p><p>But that brings her to another thought. The thought that she wonders why Natalie would even want to have sex. After what had happened to her, the thought that she would want anyone to touch her is …</p><p>Maze’s eyes slowly raise to Liz, who still stares forward, terrified.</p><p>“Did she let you touch her?” Maze asks.</p><p>Liz stares forward, unable to speak. She tries to, but squeaks just come out.</p><p>“She won’t let me touch her,” Maze says, pushing herself away from the chair, the skin on her face slowly plumping back up the more she thinks about it. The sinews disappearing, and the brown fading back into her eyes.</p><p>“I …” Liz begins to say, stuttering through the terror.</p><p>Maze turns to her.</p><p>“You’re … you’re not … you’re,” Liz says.</p><p>“What? I’m not human?” Maze asks.</p><p>Liz nods.</p><p>Maze chuckles and walks around to the front of the desk, “What am I then?” Maze asks.</p><p>“You’re … you’re a demon,” Liz says, huffing, her eyes tearing up.</p><p>“Mmm,” Maze says, “Yeah. I’m kind of a big deal down there.”</p><p>“I … you … Nat,” Liz stutters.</p><p>Maze smiles and walks to the door. She had gotten what she came here for, a name.</p><p>The only name that mattered.</p><p>She opens the door and pauses before turning back to Liz, who watches her with sharp observation as if needing to keep track of her every move.</p><p>“Oh, and uh, don’t worry about me visiting you anymore. Tell whoever you want, I don’t care,” Maze says, “They won’t believe you anyway.”</p><p>Maze slams the door on her way out, and Liz just sits there, terror in her heart. She blinks, and blinks, her heart pounding in her ears.</p><p>---- -- -- - -- - - - -</p><p>Its evening time and Father Kyle sits alone in a chair on the balcony of Lucifer’s penthouse. He is silent, staring out into the night sky.</p><p>Lucifer’s living room has been turned into an informal dining area. The sofas are absent, and the piano is tucked against the bookcase. In the middle sits a long table with 12 chairs.</p><p>Lucifer sits by the bar, pouring himself a drink as caterers place metal domes on each of the plates. Then, they disappear into a small kitchen in a hallway next to the bookcase.</p><p>“I hadn’t planned on you being here,” Lucifer says, turning to Father Kyle, “but you are welcome to join us for a meal if you so desire. I’ve even had them set out another place setting for you.”</p><p>Father Kyle doesn’t respond. He just narrows his eyes and stands before turning and slowly entering the living room.</p><p>“I’ve read through all the texts,” he says, “I’ve devoted my life to God’s word. I’ve spent years …<em> years</em> trying to figure this thing out, and you know the only thing I keep coming back to?” he asks.</p><p>“I don’t doubt you’ll tell me,” Lucifer says, pulling out a wine bottle and looking at the date.</p><p>No, he needed something older. This was a special occasion.</p><p>“In the book of Samael, there is a passage that reads similar to the Psalm of David,” Father Kyle says, moving into the living room, past the giant table.</p><p>“It is the only passage in the book that has any connection to the bible. Other than characters and language, of course,” he says.</p><p>“Fascinating,” Lucifer says, pulling out another bottle, obviously not interested in this conversation.</p><p>He looks and catches a glance of Father Kyle’s outfit, “Is that what you’re wearing?” he asks.</p><p>“And the Lord led him unto Eden so that he might lay unto fertile pastures. So that he might …” Father Kyle says, blanking for a second.</p><p>Lucifer narrows his eyes, “I might have something that fits you in my closet if you want to wear real clothing for this evening,” he says.</p><p>Father Kyle thinks and pauses, “So that he might … so that he might know as the Lord might know. So that he might not fear evil but embrace it. So that his soul might be restoreth, and he should dwell unto the house of the Lord.”</p><p>Lucifer looks up from his bottle an stares at Father Kyle, “I … okay. Perhaps leave that part out of your party stories. It’s a real buzzkill.”</p><p>“I keep thinking,” Father Kyle says, “<em>’so that he might not fear evil, but embrace it.’ </em>Why would God want you to be evil?”</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, “I don’t believe that to be any concern of mine anymore,” he says, careful not to say too much.</p><p>After all, he had made a deal.</p><p>“Perhaps Amenadiel was right,” Father Kyle says, “Maybe this … I’ve been so focused on proving it wrong. The idea that the devil should be evil. That the angel who saved my life be more angel than devil. But, maybe you are evil.”</p><p>Father Kyle tilts his head, “or maybe …” he says, staring off into the distance.</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, trying not to feel hurt by that, “Contrary to the two biggest mistakes I’ve made in my life, I do nt enjoy harming others.”</p><p>Father Kyle pauses and turns to Lucifer, “Two?” he asks.</p><p>Lucifer brings sets the bottle of wine on the countertop and reaches for another one, a white wine just in case.</p><p>“Yes. I’m certain you’re familiar with the topic of my fall, so I won’t bore you.”</p><p>“What is your second mistake?” Father Kyle asks.</p><p>Lucifer sighs and sets the bottle on the bar.</p><p>“The garden,” he says.</p><p>Father Kyle furrows his eyebrows.</p><p>“But you said you weren’t in the garden?” he asked, confused.</p><p>“I wasn’t there for the apple incident if you’re asking, but … I was there after.”</p><p>---- - ---- - -- -</p><p>
  <em>Outside the garden, Lucifer lays on the banks of a river, his feet casually floating in the water. He is content and crosses his arms behind his head. In the distance, a thunder cracks loudly across the sky.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Suddenly, a shadow crawls over his body.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Have you not felt the ire of Father?” a voice says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>He opens his eyes to be met with the imposing form of Michael.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Do you mind?” he asks, “you’re standing in my light.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Michael reaches down and grabs the white robe around Lucifer’s body, pulling him up. Lucifer immediately bats his hand away as he stands.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Unhand me! You touch me again and-“</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“and what?” Michael asks.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>A red fire kicks up in Lucifer’s eyes, “Don’t toy with my brother. We’re on even ground, remember? Can’t toss me off the edge like you did before.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“My anger isn’t towards you,” Michael says, “it’s towards your brother.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Lucifer scoffs, “Which one? Father has disowned quite a few of us. You’ll have to be more specific.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Ezria,” Michael says, “he just broke the humans.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Lucifer narrows his eyes.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“What?” he says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Michael turns and beckons Lucifer to follow.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Come, father has summoned us to the garden,” Michael says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Uh,” Lucifer begins, offended that he would be called like a common beast, “As much as I’m sorry he’s broken one of Father’s toys, I don’t see what that has to do with me.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Father has requested your prescence, Samael,” Michael says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“The name’s Lucifer now, or haven’t you received the message?” Lucifer asks, annoyed.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “He’s cost us everything we’ve worked so hard for,” Michael says, “are you not upset by that?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“On the list of things that summon hellfire in me, brother, a broken human is not on my top ten,” Lucifer says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Michael walks forward, “Do you have any idea what Ezria has done?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Summon me when I care,” Lucifer says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Michael tenses his jaw, anger rising in him.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Moments later, Lucifer lands with a thud inside of a large clearing where the tree of knowledge sits.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>It is a single tree surrounded by low grass and flowers. The grass sets the tree in the center of a large circle that is surrounded by high hedges.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>At its base stands God and Azrael. Knelt before God is Ezria, his head low, and his body shivering.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I’ve brought him, Father,” Michael says as he gently lands and takes his spot on God’s right.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>God looks at Lucifer with a stony stare before he turns to Ezria, who cowers at his feet.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Lucifer eyes Ezria, an uneasy feeling growing in his gut. He can feel Ezria’s fear. It crawls up his spine as if it were his own.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“You’ve made your brothers very angry,” God says to Ezria.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“You’ve given the humans that which they shouldn't have. They are cursed because of you,” God says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Ezria shakes his head.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I only did as you asked, Father,” he says, his voice wavering.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>God doesn’t respond to that, he just looks up towards Lucifer.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Lucifer stares, his voice caught in his breath.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>His palms start to sweat, the fear palpable.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Rebellion, I can disavow, but this? I will not accept such brazen insolence,” God says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Ezria shakes his head.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I don’t understand, Father. I –“ Ezria begins to say.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Silence!” God booms. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>The heavens crack, and the sky begins to rain. A heavy wind kicks up and blows through the hedges on the border of the clearing. Outside of it, the wind kicks up, tossing plants into a vortex of wind and debris. There is a storm moving, and the clearing sits at its calm center.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Ezria shakes and begins to whimper.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I will not be interrupted,” God says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Ezria doesn’t say anything. He just shakes and cries.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Meanwhile, Lucifer can’t breathe. The fear is muggy and filters into every inch of him. They were twins, they had a connection, but this. It is almost as if they shared the same fear.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Lucifer’s eyes move to Azrael. She wouldn’t be here unless …</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“No,” he whispers to himself.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>She grips her blade tight, staring at Ezria and waiting for the command.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I make no mistakes,” God says, “but it is clear you are too weak to hold your gift. So I cannot have you here, on earth, or anywhere.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Ezria shakes his head, “Please, Father. I don’t understand,” Ezria says, looking up at God with weeping Jade eyes.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>God stares at him, unmoved by his plea.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Azrael,” he says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Azrael smiles and walks forward, raising her blade.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“No!” Lucifer screams, stepping forward with his hand out.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>God holds out an arm, physically stopping Azrael from moving forward. She doesn’t seem pleased about this but also knows there is nothing she can do to ignore it.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“You have something to say?” God asks.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Lucifer nods, “It … it was I in the garden, not Ezria.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>God tilts his head.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Are you sure?” he asks, “you are aware of who you speak to, are you not?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Lucifer shakes his head, “It was I and I alone.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>God looks him up and down, a small smile coming to his face.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“You would lie to God to save your brother?” he asks.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“It is not a lie, Father,” Lucifer says, standing firm in his conviction, “It was I.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Samael, you know your gift is not to tempt others, or to inhabit the vessels of creatures.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Lucifer nods, “Yes, I know. I … Ezria was there, as the snake. But it was I who told the human to eat from the tree. I … well, I really wanted to- to destroy your project.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>God narrows his eyes. Michael crosses his arms, and Azrael flips her gaze from Ezria to Lucifer.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>God looks at him for a very long time, sheltered from the heavy rain beneath the tree of knowledge.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>There is a thick silence there, and the uncertainty of the moment is not lost on anyone. Even Michael and Azrael turn to God after a moment, to try and understand what might happen next.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Slowly the storm outside the garden calms, and the wind and rain settle to reveal the entire garden – save for the clearing they are in – has been destroyed.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>The rain trickles now, but Ezria and Lucifer are soaking wet.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>They stand there in silence for what seems like a very long time. No one except God is sure of what is happening.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>The sound of wings flapping make them turn their eyes upward just as Amenadiel lands in the center of the clearing.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“You summoned me father?” he asks as he lands.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Ah Amenadiel,” God finally says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Amenadiel steps forward, “Yes, Father?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“You shall escort your brothers back to the underworld.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Amenadiel nods, “Yes, Father.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Should you appear on the earthly plan again, Samael, you will be taken back by Amenadiel on each visit. You and your brother are no longer welcome here.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Lucifer tenses his jaw and nods, choosing to accept this than the alternative.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>God disappears, and they are all left in the garden. Azrael grunts and flies away. Michael looks at Ezria and Lucifer one last time before unhappily flying away too.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Ezria slowly stands, soaking wet with tears and rain. He turns to Lucifer, and they catch eyes.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“It is time,” Amenadiel says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Moments later, Lucifer barges into a small building in Hell. Here guards with primitive blades stand up straight as he walks by, clearly upset.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I will not be relegated to Hell like some … like some degenerate!” he grunts, his entire body red and burned.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Maze walks behind him, a deep revere in her eyes.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>She spins a rocky blade in her hand, “I would gut them all for you. Just say the word and I’ll –“</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>The door behind them opens, and Ezria enters. He is angry too, huffing even, his eyes rolling with a jade fire.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Lucifer turns, sees Ezria, and immediately his wings pop out. In a second, he is flying towards Ezria. He hits him, and they roll out of the building into the open world outside. Here, the sound of hammers cracking rock, and carts moving materials from one section of hell to the other, fills the air. They all slowly begin to stop as it becomes clear of the fight happening.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“You!” Lucifer yells, his hands around Ezria’s neck.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Ezria pushes Lucifer off in a show of equal strength.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Lucifer flies off and lands on his feet. Ezria immediately gets up and holds his hands out.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Calm yourself, brother!”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“You did this! I was enjoying myself on earth, and you made us come back here,” he says, walking forward and throwing a punch.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Ezria ducks out the way and backs up further.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I did nothing of the sort!” he says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“So you didn’t break the humans? You didn’t snake your way into the garden and tempt Eve?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I was only doing as I was told!” Ezria yells.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Lies!” Lucifer responds.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Eria scoffs, “Oh, you’re one to talk. You lied to Father!”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Lucifer looks at Ezria, unbelieving, “Of course I did, you buffoon! He was going to destroy you!”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“So then why are you angry at me?! I’m the victim here!” Ezria screams.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“You’re a monster!” Lucifer retorts.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Ezria pauses, hurt by that.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“What?” he says right as Lucifer’s fist lands a punch to the face, and Ezria spins and falls on to the ground.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>He pulls a hand up to his jaw and clicks it back into place.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>He turns to see Lucifer standing over him, pure rage in his eyes.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Wait until I tell the others of your behavior,” Ezria says, disgusted, “we fell together! We are all fallen, but somehow you pose yourself as King? As God?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Lock him up,” Lucifer says right as two demon guards come and pull Ezria to standing.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Ezria fights them off, easily knocking them away from him.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Brother, you can’t be serious,” Ezria says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>The two guards attempt to subdue him again, but Ezria easily knocks them away from him.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Brother, I did nothing wrong!” Ezria says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Two more guards come into the fold, and Ezria knocks them away too easily.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>More and more guards come, demon after demon until Ezria is swarmed like a nugget of bread to a pile of ants.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Moments later, the door to a cell opens, and Ezria is pushed inside. He fights until Lucifer pushes through the pile of guards and punches Ezria sending him moving back to the end of the cell and crashing to the ground. He looks up as the door closes. He stands and approaches the small grill on the door.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Brother! I did nothing wrong!” Ezria says, trying to talk some sense into Lucifer.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I only did as father asked!” Ezria claims.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>He watches as Lucifer walks up the spiral path and disappears. Ezria sighs and turns, his eyes casually moving past the lake of lava. Then to the empty platform in its center.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>He sighs and turns to the dark room behind him.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>--- ----- ---- ---</p><p>Inside his penthouse, Lucifer takes a sip of his whiskey.</p><p>He shakes his head, “He got out a few times after that, so I had to lock him in a cage of sorts. Forbid any demons from visiting him lest they have a dark passenger.</p><p>Lucifer pauses, “It is one of my deepest regrets.”</p><p>He looks up to Father Kyle, who just stares at him.</p><p>“He had only been doing as Father asked but … in my rage, my anger at being trapped in Hell – unable to feel the sun and the water …I blamed him. I allowed Michael and Amenadiel’s words to get stuck in my head, and I believed them. Certainly, once I realized the error of my ways, I freed him from captivity, but …doesn’t change things, now does it?”</p><p>Lucifer scoffs.</p><p><br/>“I suppose none of us are truly perfect in the end,” he says, thinking.</p><p>Father Kyle just stares at him.</p><p>“Hmm,” Father Kyle says, his eyes turning downward.</p><p>Father Kyle shakes his head, “Where is the garden now?” he asks.</p><p>Lucifer shakes his head, “Gone. Destroyed. Moved from the earthly plane so no mortal can eat from its fruit.”</p><p>“But, where was it?” Father Kyle asks, curiosity peaked.</p><p>“Egypt,” Lucifer says.</p><p>“Cairo?” Father Kyle says, furrowing his eyebrows.</p><p>Lucifer shrugs, “Possibly.”</p><p>“So, where the books were found?” Father Kyle asks.</p><p>Lucifer tilts his head and narrows his eyes, “are we going to be doing this all night because I have to say this whole history lesson is boring me.”</p><p>Father Kyle just stares at him. Formulating thoughts and theories. Anything other than what he feels in his gut. Because that theory … it’s crazy. It’s ridiculous it … presumes that all of this is for one goal and one goal alone. Meaningless otherwise. He isn’t sure he is ready to deal with that.</p><p>Lucifer sighs, “You’ve done all you can do,” he says, “ A bit pointless with me going back to Hell, isn’t it? Fruitless efforts and such.”</p><p>Just then, the elevator opens, and Ella and Abel step through.</p><p>“Oh, thank Father,” Lucifer huffs as he walks around the bar.</p><p>He turns and pauses when he sees Abel. Then he slowly saunters over to them.</p><p>“Ms. Lopez,” he says, his eyes on Abel.</p><p>Ella lets go of Abel's hand and immediately jumps to wrap her arms around Lucifer. He is taken back for a second before a small smile comes to his face.</p><p>He wraps his arms around her and leans in, resting his chin on her head.</p><p>“Oh, I missed you so much,” she says.</p><p>“I … I don’t have the misfortune of going years without seeing you, but I imagine I would …I would miss you too.”</p><p>She pulls away from him, a deep smile on her face. They stare at one another for a second before Lucifer’s eyes roam up to see Abel looking at them.</p><p>Abel and Lucifer lock eyes. Ella turns her head and watches them watch each other for a moment.</p><p>“Abel and I are dating,” she says, letting go of Lucifer and walking back to Abel. Here she slides her arm around his, holding him close.</p><p>Abel nods.</p><p>“I see,” Lucifer says, looking Abel up and down, sizing him up.</p><p>“It’s new, but … so far, I’m really happy,” she says.</p><p>Ella turns to Abel and smiles as she says that. He cuts his eyes to her, and the second they land on her, the tension in his eyes falters, and there is a loving softness behind them. Lucifer tilts his head as he sees the shift.</p><p>“I see,” he says, a little taken back.</p><p>Abel turns back to Lucifer, and his eyes go cold again.</p><p>“Well,” Lucifer says, turning his hand to usher them in, “Dinner won’t be for a while, but please, do sit. Care for a drink?”</p><p>He points to the wine bottles he’s taken out.</p><p>Abel nods, “Sure.”</p><p>“I’ll take one,” Ella says.</p><p>Lucifer grins, “Excellent.”</p><p>Abel turns to see Father Kyle standing there. A smile comes on his face.</p><p>“Ah, Father. I hadn’t expected you to be joining us this evening,” he says.</p><p>Father Kyle nods, “Yes …” before turning and heading back to the balcony.</p><p>Abel looks at him oddly then turns to Lucifer.</p><p>Lucifer sighs, “Don’t mind him. Still on the job, I’m afraid,” he says, popping the wine bottle.</p><p>“White or red?” he asks.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. War- Part 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Lucifer has a dinner to say goodbye,  Natalie faces the truth, Ezria loses his shit, Michael gets his war and Father Kyle has front row seats.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>-- -- --- --- --- --- ---</p><p>At Jeremy’s unguarded door, a line of fire crawls up the edge of the brick. It carves out the familiar outline of a doorway before collapsing in on itself and giving way to fire. It stays that way for a very long time until a single angel steps out, staring up into the night sky. He stares in awe as another angel comes behind him. Then another, and another until it is an endless stream of angels pouring into the small alleyway.</p><p>They all stare up at the sky in longing for a few moments before spreading their wings and flying straight up, giving room for more angels to pour into the alleyway. When all the Angels have left and taken a moment to stare at the sky, the alleyway sits empty. The doorway still open.</p><p>Then a demon steps out, looks around, and sees the door unguarded. He smiles to himself before turning and quickly running down the alley before someone notices he is missing. The door still stays open. Eventually, another demon steps out, and another and another. And soon, the word is out that a door is left unguarded and demon after demon steps out into the alleyway before disappearing into the night.</p><p>----- --- -- -- -</p><p>Back in the penthouse, most of the dinner guests have already arrived.</p><p>Amenadiel and Linda sit by the bar next to Abel and Ella. They are deep in a conversation.</p><p>Dan and Jillian stand drinking wine near the bookshelf.</p><p>Father Kyle sits by himself, deep in thought on the balcony.</p><p>“I believe we’re missing Mazikeen and the Detective,” Lucifer says.</p><p>The elevator in the penthouse opens, and Chloe and Jack enter. Chloe, dressed in a black dress with lace sleeves, has her arm is wrapped around Jack’s arm, and her other hand holds a small black clutch. Jack has a bottle of wine in his hand. Lucifer turns to the elevator as Chloe walks in, and their eyes meet. She gives him a soft smile, and he stares her, his eyes roaming down her body.</p><p>“Detective,” he says, his voice surprised.</p><p>Despite knowing she was beautiful, she always stunned him by how good she looked.</p><p>“I brought a peace offering,” Jack said, holding out the bottle of wine, “We might have gotten off on a bad foot the first time we met.”</p><p>Lucifer reaches out and takes the bottle. He looks at Chloe as if asking why Jack was giving him a gift.</p><p>“Ah,” he says, turning the wine bottle to read the label.</p><p>He recognizes it as a brand Chloe likes to purchase from the grocery store.</p><p>“Such a … <em>reasonable</em> bottle of wine,” he says with a smile, “I’m sure it will go lovely with a …”</p><p>He pauses, trying to figure out what it might pair with.</p><p>Perhaps a box cake mix or … pizza.</p><p>“I should go chill this,” he says instead, quickly walking away.</p><p>Chloe smiles at Jack. Jack looks at the other guests before noticing Dan by the bookcase.</p><p>“Hey Dan!” he says with a smile as he walks over to him.</p><p>Chloe smiles and moves to the bar. She wraps an arm around Linda, greeting her before waving at Ella and Abel. She turns in time to see Lucifer tucking Jack’s bottle of wine into the cooler.</p><p>She approaches the empty corner of the bar and clears her throat. He looks up at her.</p><p>“Ah, would you like a glass of wine?” he asks his hands, pointing to the bottles on the bar, “No worries. I’ve tucked the bottle your gentleman caller brought in the <em>back </em>of the cooler.”</p><p>She nods and smiles, “Thank you.”</p><p>He timidly smiles back before getting a wine glass and pouring her a glass of red wine. He doesn’t even ask which one she prefers, he already knows. Chloe turns and sees Jack and Dan deep in conversation. She then turns to see Linda and Ella deep in conversation. Abel and Amenadiel seems to just be listening to their respective partners.</p><p>She clears her throat and turns back to Lucifer.</p><p>“Listen uhm … about yesterday,” she says.</p><p>“No worries, Detective,” he says, sliding the half-full glass of wine her way, “I know how to keep a secret. Mum’s the word, Darling.”</p><p>She smiles, “Thanks.”</p><p>They stand in awkward silence for a second.</p><p>“I understand it was …closure for us both,” he says, nodding, “and as much as it pains me to see you with someone else, I’d much rather see you happy than …well miserable.”</p><p>She nods and sends him a sad smile.</p><p>“Besides, I’d hate to think of you becoming a crazy cat lady in my absence.”</p><p>She chuckles and shakes her head.</p><p>“I don’t even like cats,” she says before pausing.</p><p>“Well, not as much as you,” she says, grinning into her wine glass.</p><p>He tilts his head, pleased at her innuendo.</p><p>“Detective,” he says smoothly, “are you flirting with me?’</p><p>She shakes her head, “Nope, just … stating a fact.”</p><p>He hums pleased.</p><p>“Does that mean you would have entertained the idea of a third party?” he asks, curious.</p><p>She grins and brings up the wine glass to take another sip.</p><p>“I guess we’ll never know,” she says after swallowing her sip.</p><p>It is meant to come out as flirtatious, but the reality of her statement hits harder than it should and both their smiles fall. She looks behind her again to see people starting to move around. Abel stands from the bar and moves towards the balcony with Father Kyle. Ella and Linda speak to one another in hushed tones, and Amenadiel stands to go over to speak with Jack and Daniel near the bookcase.</p><p>“This is probably stupid,” she says, turning back to him,” but I figured you know … you’re leaving and …I don’t know. I thought I’d give you something to remember me by.”</p><p>He furrows his eyebrows, “Darling, that insinuates that I will ever forget you. It will take me at least a millenia to think of anyone else when I masturbate.”</p><p>She smiles and reaches into her clutch. She looks behind her again to make sure no one sees before turning and sliding a closed palm over to Lucifer. He sees moves his hand over hers, as she slides her hand away. He grabs on to the object she has in her hands before turning his palm over.</p><p>His eyes snap up to her to find her blushing into her wine glass.</p><p>A remote.</p><p>The remote to vibrating underwear.</p><p>“Detective,” he says, shocked.</p><p>She walks away, going back into the crowd to mingle.</p><p>He stands there, speechless.</p><p>He clears his throat, his mouth suddenly dry before slipping the remote into his pocket.</p><p>--- -- -- -- -- - --</p><p>Inside the elevator, Maze and Natalie stand in silence.</p><p>“Are you sure about this?” Maze asks, looking at Natalie.</p><p>Natalie nods and smiles, “I’m fine Ms. Smith. I was just … tired. Thought it might be best to spend the day relaxing.”</p><p>“It’s unlike you to call out,” Maze says, having an inkling as to why she did.</p><p>Natalie chuckles, “Yes well … I believe it was much needed.”</p><p>“Do you feel better?” Maze asks.</p><p>Natalie nods to hersef, “I think I do,” she says with a genuine smile.</p><p>Maze nods and they stand in silence again.</p><p>Natalie tugs at the hem of her dress, and Maze’s eyes turn to her. They roll down her body and the strapless red dress she wears. It clings to every curve, and she stares at them longingly.</p><p>“I think this dress might be too short,” Natalie says, suddenly nervous.</p><p>“Not short enough,” Maze says, not making her stares any less obvious.</p><p>Natalie smiles. She reaches a hand out and lifts Maze’s chin with a finger.</p><p>“Eyes up here Ms. Smith,” she says with a grin.</p><p>“I wasn’t looking at your eyes,” Maze responds.</p><p>They stare at one another for a long time, a tension building between them.</p><p>“We can’t,” Natalie says.</p><p>“I want to,” Maze replies.</p><p>Natalie sighs.</p><p>“I know, but … Dr. Martin said I had to hold off until we get some things sorted and … and I want to try. I think it would be helpful,” she says.</p><p>Maze nods, her jaw tensing at remembering what that “thing” that needs to be sorted is.</p><p>“I trust you, you know,” Maze says, turning to Natalie.</p><p>Natalie pauses, taken back by that sudden claim.</p><p>“and you can trust me too. With anything,” Maze continues</p><p>Natalie smiles and nods, “I know,” she says.</p><p>“Do you?” Maze asks, her eyebrows furrowed.</p><p>Natalie chuckles, “If this is some weird psychological thing for me to have sex with you-“</p><p>“No,” Maze says, shaking her head, “nothing to do with sex. I would never force you to do anything you don’t want to. <em>Ever</em>.”</p><p>Natalie furrows her eyebrows as Maze’s sudden insistence on proving herself.</p><p>“Okay,” she responds, unsure if she should be suspicious.</p><p>“Good,” Maze says, turning her eyes forward as the elevator continues to ascend.</p><p>They sit in silence for a bit.</p><p>Lucifer spins around and catches a glimpse of them. Natalie pushes the hem of her dress down as they both awkwardly step out of the elevator.</p><p>“Ah,” Lucifer says a grin on his face, “I suppose I should be thankful you didn’t make a pitstop in your suite before joining us, Mazikeen. The food is about to reincarnate as it were.”</p><p>Maze rolls her eyes.</p><p>Lucifer turns around and calls everyone.</p><p>“Alright, gather around,” he says.</p><p>Guests move from the balcony, from the bookcase, and from the bar.</p><p>“Have a seat. Wherever your mortal and immortal hearts desire,” Lucifer says.</p><p>Linda sees Natalie and smiles.</p><p>Natalie quickly moves over to Linda before she takes her seat.</p><p>“You didn’t tell Ms. Smith about what we talked about, did you?” she asks.</p><p>Linda looks at her, her eyebrows furrowed.</p><p>“No,” she says, offended by that, “what we talk about stays between us.”</p><p>“Mm,” Natalie says nodding and turning to see Maze taking a seat across from Amenadiel.</p><p>Jack takes a seat and scoots himself into the table next to Jillian. Chloe pulls her chair out and moves to sit next to Jack right as Lucifer puts a hand on her back and gently guides her into her chair. She turns to him, and they lock eyes with a soft smile.</p><p>He pushes her chair in.</p><p>“Thank you,” she says.</p><p>She looks up, directly across from her and locks eyes with Ella. The look isn’t judgemental, just knowing.</p><p>Chloe raises her eyes and shrugs her head forward as if telling Ella to stop looking at her like that.</p><p>-- --- -- - -- -- -</p><p>A single angel, his robe tattered and dirty, lands barefoot outside the large gates that lead to the Silver City. His wings relax, folded on his back, and he grips tightly onto the black curved dagger in his hand. Behind him, another angel lands. Then another, and then another.</p><p>By the time the gates open, and an army of angels – led by Michael – have marched in a line towards the glowing field, both sides are equally matched in numbers.</p><p>Fallen angels on one side and Heaven’s army on the other.</p><p>Michael sighs and grips tightly to his sword.</p><p>“You do not want this, brothers,” he says, his eyes taking note of all the angels in front of him.</p><p>His eyes land on a few stray women.</p><p>“And sisters,” he says, respectively.</p><p>They do not respond.</p><p>“You look well,” he says, continuing, “but you don’t belong here. Go back to the underworld.”</p><p>They don’t say anything, they just stand there. Waiting.</p><p>A few of them look around at each other, unsure.</p><p>Unsure, but they grip the blades in their hands tighter.</p><p>“That is an order!” he yells.</p><p>They don’t respond, they just stand there waiting.</p><p>“What are they waiting for?” An angel says, turning to Michael.</p><p>Michael turns to the angel, doesn’t say anything, and turns back ahead of him.</p><p>“Lucifer has steered you wrong before. Do you truly believe a second time will be better?” Michael asks.</p><p>“Lucifer?” a strange voice says.</p><p>An fallen angel looks behind him, turns forward, then does a double-take before stepping aside. The other angels follow suits until the tall, dark form of Ezria makes his way to the front.</p><p>“What … what is that?” an angel standing next to Michael asks.</p><p>Ezria’s form Is unrecognizable. The only thing left of his divinity is the jet black wings that poke from behind his back. Everything else is covered in darkness. He wears a robe, but the robe is stained black and hangs oddly from his bones.</p><p>“I told you I would be back,” Ezria says, his voice so clearly “other” that the angels next to Michael steady themselves and ready their weapons.</p><p>Michael stares at Ezria, in awe and disgust.</p><p>“What have you done, brother?” he asks, aghast.</p><p>“Is this not what you wanted?” Ezria asks, his arms raised in a chuckle.</p><p>“All I asked was to come home. To be with my family and you scorned me. You scorned me as you scorned me in the garden.”</p><p>“You and Lucifer tempted Eve!” Michael says, “What was I-“</p><p>“I did what I was told!” Ezria says.</p><p>Michael shakes his head, “You are a liar and a monster. Look what you’ve become. You’ve turned your gift into …into something unrecognizable.”</p><p>“A liar?” Ezria asks, a sickening laugh falling from between his teeth, “why don’t you ask Father who is the liar? Hmm? I see he is absent from this affair. How … unusual, don’t you think?”</p><p>Michael narrows his eyes and places a hand on his sword.</p><p>“This is your final warning,” Michael says, “Go back to the underworld. All of you.”</p><p>Ezria huffs, “I think not.”</p><p>Ezria turns to the fallen angel next to him. They lock eyes, and the angel suddenly seems locked in a trance.</p><p>“Go,” Ezria says.</p><p>The angel blinks, and suddenly his eyes are jet black.</p><p>He grins and turns before running towards Michael.</p><p>“Hold,” Michael says to his army.</p><p>The angel runs and grunts and hits the golden field. It burns him, sears his skin with a bright golden fire. He cries, but something pushes him forward as if it weren’t up to him what he did anymore. The field momentarily buckles, and the angel falls through.</p><p>It seals itself behind him, and the angel collapses onto the ground. The fire burns off his skin for a moment before dissipating. Smoke rises off his robe before he stands, shaking legs, and stands to face Heaven’s angels. They stand about 50 yards away from him. His eyes are still jet black, and he pants with an unholy grin.</p><p>Ezria hums to himself, revealing an odd rattling in his chest.</p><p>He grins and turns to the angels behind him. He regards them all for a second before a strange dark mist falls off him. On that back of that mist are whispers. “Go home,” they say with glee.</p><p>“Go to your family,” they whisper.</p><p>The mist weaves between the angels, whispering words into their ears. One by one, their eyes pop into black, and they run forward towards the field.</p><p>One by one, they hit it, and the field shakes beneath their constant barrage.</p><p>The angel already on the other side stands, a huge grin on his face. Michael narrows his eyes and draws his sword.</p><p>“Brothers,” he says calmly, never taking his eyes off the angels in front of him, “do not let them through the gates.”</p><p>They nod, and all draw their swords.</p><p>The golden web shakes and buckles beneath the weight of the angels before eventually, it pops like an air bubble. The fallen angels in the front drop forward, nothing there to hold their weight, while the angels behind jump over them and form a line behind the first fallen angel to get through. They wait until everyone is on their feet.</p><p>Ezria laughs to himself, a large grin on his face.</p><p>“Where is your Father now?” Ezria says before walking forward, “has he abandoned you as he has abandoned us?”</p><p>The fallen angels, now all on their feet, suddenly charge towards Michael’s army, their blades at the ready.</p><p>“For his Kingdom!” Michael screams. It is followed by a rallying war cry from the angels under his command.</p><p>Ezria approaches the field as the web of light begins to fix itself. He sees the golden light crawling to cover the large hole and begins to run towards it, but he is too late. He hits the golden web, and sparks fly off him as he is jettisoned back, further than he was last time. He looks down at the smoke coming off his arm and sees pink, unharmed flesh. He looks at it curiously before the darkness covers the flesh again.</p><p>He turns back to the field, his eyes narrowing. He tries to imagine a way he might make it past the web, but for that he needed someone who had done it before. He needed Lucifer.</p><p>-------- --- -- -- -</p><p>Back at the penthouse, the dinner is going swimmingly. The conversation is light, the food is good and - for the most part – everyone is having a good time.</p><p>Lucifer takes his knife and gently tapes his glass. He catches everyone’s attention.</p><p>“Alright,” Lucifer says as he pulls his chair out at the head of the table.</p><p>To his right is Chloe, and to his left is Ella. His back faces the balcony and directly across from him, on the other end of the table sits Father Kyle.</p><p>“Now, I’m sure you’re all wondering why I called you here this evening,” he says, “particularly considering quite a few of you haven’t seen me in about two years time.”</p><p>Linda nods with a smile, and Natalie sits back, crossing her arms.</p><p>“I thought it would be inappropriate for me to truly leave without letting you understand why it is I am leaving. So, allow me to explain,” he says.</p><p>He pauses for a moment.</p><p>“I am the devil,” he says, his words leaving little room for interpretation.</p><p>Jillian and Natalie chuckle while Jack just furrows his eyebrows and looks around, waiting to see the look on everyone else’s face. No one else seems to be reacting. He turns to Chloe, and she doesn’t seem to be reacting either.</p><p>“Some of you won’t believe that while others here have undeniable evidence that I am telling the truth. I wish I had something to substantiate my claim, but unfortunately, as part of my punishment for defying Father for so long, he’s made me human. So my wings and my gifts are … <em>temporarily</em> gone.”</p><p>Jack raises an eyebrow, and Natalie shakes her head and continues to eat.</p><p>“So, I suppose the next best thing is in order,” Lucifer says.</p><p>Lucifer inhales and turns to Amenadiel.</p><p>“Brother?”</p><p>Amenadiel looks up at him and raises his eyes.</p><p>“Huh?” he asks.</p><p>“Would you mind showing these people your wings?” Lucifer asks.</p><p>“Uh,” he says, turning to the table and turning to Linda.</p><p>“Is this really necessary?” Linda asks.</p><p>“Well, of course,” Lucifer says, “If you are to believe the rest of my story, then I need everyone to be on the same page. Chop chop.”</p><p>Amenadiel shakes his head, “Luci, we’re already breaking so many rules. Mortals aren’t supposed to have proof of the divine.”</p><p>“Oh, they won’t have physical proof. I’m not asking you to gift them a feather like some party favor,” Lucifer says, “I just need them to see you so that what I say makes more sense.”</p><p>Amenadiel groans and stands. Linda lays a hand on his shoulder.</p><p>“You don’t have to do this,” Linda says.</p><p>He nods to her, insinuating he is fine with it.</p><p>“What is going on?” Jack says, turning to Chloe.</p><p>Before Chloe can respond, the sound of wings spreading and the slight breeze they make hits Jack's face, and he turns to see Amenadiel’s wings spread wide behind him.</p><p>Chloe takes a big gulp of her wine, this was going to be an <em>interesting </em>night.</p><p>Maze, her arms crossed, nervously turns to Natalie, wondering how long it might take her to put the pieces together.</p><p>Natalie stares, silently, her eyebrows furrowed.</p><p>Jack stares, silently, his jaw wide.</p><p>Jillian stares, tears coming to her eyes.</p><p>“They’re so beautiful,” Jillian says.</p><p>Dan turns to her and stars to rub her back.</p><p>“Excellent,” Lucifer says before motioning for Amenadiel to take a seat.</p><p>Amenadiel sighs, draws his wings back in, and takes a seat.</p><p>Jillian audibly whimpers as they go back in.</p><p>Jack continues to stare, and Natalie’s eyes move down, putting pieces together in her brain.</p><p>As to why this group had the affinity for biblical names.</p><p>“Now, as I said earlier. I am the Devil,” Lucifer says.</p><p>“Holy shit,” Jack says.</p><p>Chloe reaches a hand out and sets it on his. The table turns to him.</p><p>“Holy shit!” he screams, his hands going to his head as if his brain is about to explode with the information he has.</p><p>Chloe leans over to him and wraps her arms around his shoulder, pulling him closer.</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, “Do you mind? I’m giving my farewell speech here.”</p><p>Daniel reaches out to Jillian and hands her a glass of water. She shakingly grabs it and turns her eyes to him.</p><p>He nods to her and helps her take a sip.</p><p>“I suppose that was a bad way to open my speech,” Lucifer says, looking around.</p><p>Maze cautiously looks at Natalie. Natalie stares forward, her fork frozen in her hands.</p><p>“Either way, don’t you worry your silly mortal hearts out. I’ve made a deal with father that will see me taking over my previous position as Lord of Hell so you’ll have no more …<em> celestial</em> antics to deal with.”</p><p>“Well, besides my brother,” he says, pointing to Amenadiel.</p><p>“The first murdered human,” he says pointing to Abel</p><p>“and my demon ex-sentinel,” he says pointing to Maze.</p><p>Maze shuts her eyes and screws her mouth, wishing he hadn’t said that.</p><p>Natalie’s eyes snap to Maze, horror within them.</p><p><em>Demon? </em>She thinks</p><p>Linda sees how this could go really bad and waves for Lucifer to stop, “Lucifer I … I think we can all agree we will miss you, but you don’t need to-“</p><p>“No, no,” he says, waving his hand, “allow me.”</p><p>Linda sighs and sits back. The table is incredibly silent.</p><p>“When I first arrived in Los Angeles, it was to get away from Hell. I fell because I wanted away from my Father’s rule, but I realized my very existence in Hell was still complicit in his agenda. So, I stopped playing the game. I came here to become my own man, but …truth is I had no idea who that was.”</p><p>Linda nods and smiles at him, proud of his progress. Everyone else just listens to him like he were the most charismatic speaker in the world. Everyone but Natalie, who stares at the plate in front of her, her eyebrows furrowing even more at the implication.</p><p>Angels were real. Demons were real.</p><p>Which meant, by default, God was real.</p><p>God was <em>real.</em></p><p>“I came to prove to myself,” Lucifer says, “to drown out the constant cacophony of voices telling me, well … how evil I am.”</p><p>Lucifer looks down towards his glass, “And for a moment there I … I found little to indicate that they were wrong.”</p><p>He looks back up to the crowd in front of him.</p><p>“But then I met you,” he says, turning to Chloe.</p><p>Chloe looks up at them, and they catch eyes.</p><p>“I met all of you,” he says, turning to Linda and Ella and even Dan.</p><p>“and though all of us have had our own … experiences and stories, I … I brought you here not to relive them but to thank you for them. For challenging me and listening to my words as a man, not as a devil,” he says, turning to Linda.</p><p>Linda nods, proudly.</p><p>“For being the sole arbiter of all that is good in humanity. And for choosing to see the best in those who are lucky enough to call you a friend,” he says, turning to Ella.</p><p>“For being a douche,” Lucifer says, turning to Dan.</p><p>Dan scoffs and shakes his head, a smile on his lips.</p><p>“but … ,” Lucifer continues, his smile falling, “also showing me what a true father looks like. You sacrifice yourself endlessly for that little urchin, and …as much as I find your personality <em>unbearable</em>-”</p><p>Dan smiles and rolls his eyes.</p><p>“I cannot and will not allow anyone to suggest you have no courage or honor. You’re a much stronger human than I give you credit for,” Lucifer says.</p><p>Dan nods, “Thanks, Man,” he says.</p><p>Jillian just stares forward, still coming to terms with the whole devil thing.</p><p>Lucifer turns to Chloe.</p><p>They stare at one another for a long time, and his voice wavers when he begins to speak.</p><p>“For loving me,” he says softly, “even when you shouldn’t, and for showing me, there are some things in this world more important than myself.”</p><p>She smiles and reaches a hand out to hold his. He willingly accepts it. Jack looks at their hands, then at Chloe then at Lucifer. He doesn’t know if he should feel jealous or intimidated.</p><p>Lucifer lets go of Chloe's hand and clears his throat.</p><p>“But all things must come to an end,” he says with a smile, “and … It turns out, so must my vacation. It’s time to … go back to work, so to speak. I think seven years is a good run? Don’t you?”</p><p>He turns to Mazikeen, who looks angry.</p><p>“I’ll save you the dignity of begging, Mazikeen,” he begins.</p><p>She cuts her eyes to him, the anger sliding into sadness slightly.</p><p>“and say that its best you stay here,” he finishes.</p><p>She looks stunned, like she had expected him to take her with him.</p><p>“What?” she asks, uncrossing her arms</p><p>“You were once the most feared and skilled demon in Hell. The personal guardian to the devil himself. Your skillset will be sorely missed.”</p><p>“Damn right,” she says.</p><p>“But, I’ve seen a change in you and … oddly enough, I think I prefer the demon you are now. If I take you back with me that will disappear and … I think you a better chance of happiness up here.”</p><p>Maze crosses her arms, unsure if she wants to argue or not.</p><p>“You guarded me with such fierce loyalty that I would be remiss to not point out that loyalty isn’t one-sided. Which is why I’d feel more comfortable if you were up here, protecting our friends.”</p><p>Mazikeen raises her lips in disgust for a moment, at the idea of protecting humans. But then her disgust falls the more she thinks about it. She wants to say yes, that she would love to, but instead, she crosses her arms and sits back in her chair.</p><p>“I’ve done weirder things,” she says.</p><p>Lucifer chuckles.</p><p>Suddenly Natalie stands and grabs her purse before turning and heading to the elevator.</p><p>“Natalie!” Maze says, turning and reaching out for her.</p><p>“No,” Linda says.</p><p>Maze turns to Linda, “give her time,” she says.</p><p>Suddenly the lights above them flicker. Father Kyle turns his eyes to the lights, having been silent this whole time. He looks around as if expecting something – or someone.</p><p>Natalie pauses and looks at the lights.</p><p>“Huh,” Lucifer says, turning to Amenadiel, “brother, you <em>did</em> pay the power bill in my absence, correct?”</p><p>Chloe’s eyes move to the balcony, to the city past them to see if any other lights are out. Her eyes widen, and she stands.</p><p>“Lucifer!” she gasps.</p><p>He turns and pauses. The city has its lights, but it also has more than lights.</p><p>It has Fires. Smoke coming from various areas around him. The distant flashing of sirens making their way through the streets.</p><p>“What the-“ he says as he steps forward.</p><p>The lights flicker again and go completely dark.</p><p>Lucifer scoffs and looks up to the sky.</p><p>“I can’t have<em> one</em> evening of peace?” he asks.</p><p>Lucifer turns back to the table as people begin to look around and murmur.</p><p>“What’s happening?” Dan says, standing up.</p><p>Lucifer waves them off, “Just a few small fires. I’m sure the lights will come along shortly. We have a backup generator that-“</p><p>Lucifer pauses, everyone’s eyes are on them, but they are looking at him in horror. Quickly they stand and move away from him, towards the bar. Maze and Amenadiel move closer to him. Maze reaches into her waistband and produces two curved daggers.</p><p>Lucifer looks at them oddly.</p><p>“What?” he asks before realizing they aren’t looking at him.</p><p>They are looking past him.</p><p>He slowly turns and sees the blacked-out form of Ezria, wings in full span, standing on his balcony.</p><p>Lucifer eyes him over, utterly unsure of what he is looking at.</p><p>“Who are you?” Lucifer asks.</p><p>Ezria chuckles, his wings folding behind him.</p><p>“What? You don’t recognize your own, brother?”</p><p>Lucifer narrows his eyes.</p><p>“Ezria?”</p><p>-- - -- - -- - --</p><p>On the heavenly plane, Michael and his army are busy fighting off the fallen angels. An angel runs and swipes at Michael, catching him on the metallic armor of his chest piece. He takes a hand, grabs the angel by his neck, and throws him back towards the golden web. Another angel sees this and moves towards Michael, lunging his dagger forward. Michael turns and grabs the angel’s hand before twisting it and breaking it. With his other hand, Michael grabs the angel’s neck and lifts him high.</p><p>“I don’t want to kill you, brother, but I will. Do.not. Test me,” he says, tossing this angel towards the golden web again.</p><p>The clash of metal daggers against the angel’s blades fills the air. Michael turns just as another angel moves his hand back, preparing to strike a dagger. It is aiming for his back. Michael brings his blade up and slices, cutting the angel’s arm clean off. The angel falls to the ground, his hand cut off. He screams momentarily before looking up at Michael, hatred in his eyes. He fumbles for the blade on the ground, but Michael steps on his feet.</p><p>“What has he done to you?” Michael asks, “I remember you as kind, Alphius. Meek as you should be. What has Lucifer done to you?”</p><p>Alphius grunts and slides his hand from under Michaels's foot. He reaches up to punch Michael, but Michael ducks out of the way before grabbing him by his robe and tossing him towards the golden web. His wings pop out, and he spins in mid-air. He lands on his feet and his arm starts to grow back. He looks at it for a moment before turning back to Michael with a wide grin.</p><p>--- --- --- --- ----</p><p>With the lights out and the backup generator not working, the penthouse is dark. Natalie runs to the elevator and presses the down button, but nothing happens. It doesn’t light up. She turns, fear coursing through her veins.</p><p>“What happened to you?” Lucifer asks, looking over Ezria without familiarity.</p><p>Ezria steps forward.</p><p>“We are going home,” Ezria says, “and I need you to come with me.”</p><p>Lucifer furrows his eyebrows.</p><p>“Ezria, you know I can’t do that. Besides, I told you we were unwelcome, and …well, Dad certainly won’t let you in looking like that.”</p><p>“You made it past the web,” Ezria says, “I want to know how you did it.”</p><p>Lucifer looks at him, taking him in fully. He turns his eyes to Amenadiel then turns his eyes to the humans that are hunkered down by the bar.</p><p>The lights flicker again before turning completely off.</p><p>Lucifer’s eyes land on Father Kyle, and they lock into a stare. Father Kyle nods a knowing nod, and Lucifer hisses.</p><p>He turns to Amenadiel.</p><p>“Brother, I just had a –“ Lucifer begins.</p><p>“Me too, “Amenadiel says gravely.</p><p>Lucifer hums, trying to figure out what to do.</p><p>“I would be happy to have a discussion with you,” Lucifer says, “but … perhaps allow me to wish my guests goodbye? You’ve kind of stumbled onto a dinner of sorts.”</p><p>“No,” Ezria says, “I’ve waited long enough.”</p><p>Ezria steps forward, towards Lucifer. Maze narrows her eyes.</p><p>“You will tell me,” Ezria says</p><p>Lucifer stares at Ezria, his breathing starting to quicken and a strange pull on his chest.</p><p>Lucifer blinks, and suddenly his eyes are dark.</p><p>“How did you make it past the web?” Ezria asks.</p><p>“I ran,” Lucifer says as if it were compelled to say, “I ran and jumped.”</p><p>Ezria narrows his eyes, “There must be something else,” Ezria says, “what else did you do?”</p><p>“Nothing. I ran. I needed Daniel to be safe, so I ran, and I jumped, and I fell through the web,” he says.</p><p>Maze grunts and pulls a blade from her belt.</p><p>“We done talking?” she asks, “Cause I’m done talking.”</p><p>She bolts forward, ricochets off a nearby chair to launch herself into the air before angling her blade down. Ezria doesn’t even look at her, but his hand comes out and grabs her by the throat. She lands the tip of her blade into his arm, but it does nothing.</p><p>Instead, the blade breaks like it had hit a substance harder than the blade itself. Ezria, without even looking, tosses her up against the ancient wall that divides the living room from the bedroom. She hits it and hits it hard. Her body falls flat against the ground.</p><p>Natalie yelps.</p><p>“Maze!” she says, moving to run to her.</p><p>Dan grabs Natalie and yanks her down into the huddle of still catatonic Jillian and Jack.</p><p>“Truthfully,” Ezria says, still staring at Lucifer, “What did you do?”</p><p>Lucifer just stares at him, “I ran,” he repeats.</p><p>Amenadiel walks in front of Lucifer’s eye line, breaking the connection.</p><p>“Stop this at once. You are scaring the mortals,” Amenadiel says with authority.</p><p>Ezria cuts his eyes to Amenadiel and chuckles.</p><p>“Are you afraid, brother?” he asks, “that suddenly you aren’t as imposing as you should be?”</p><p>Amenadiel‘s wings pop out in full span and his shoulder square.</p><p>“You will do as I say,” Amenadiel’s voice booms with all the divine right he can muster.</p><p>Ezria smiles, then grins. His grin widens to reveal his black teeth, and Amenadiel looks on in disgust.</p><p><em>“Now</em>,” Amenadiel says.</p><p>“Make me,” Ezria says.</p><p>Amenadiel narrows his eyes, and they stare at each other for a moment.</p><p>“Brothers,” they hear Lucifer say.</p><p>But they don’t back off from one another.</p><p>“Perhaps this is a conversation best had when we are alone?” Lucifer says.</p><p>Ezria grunts.</p><p>“I am tired of being pushed around. Bullied. Told my place by those who haven’t spent a single second of eternity in my cage,” Ezria says, finally breaking eye contact with Amenadiel to turn to Lucifer, “I want to go home, and I <em>will </em>have what I desire.”</p><p>“Look at you!” Amenadiel says, “Look at what you’ve become. You’ve let your gift be corrupted and turn you into some, some…”</p><p>Ezria looks at him, daring him to say it.</p><p>“Some monster!” Amenadiel finishes.</p><p>Ezria’s hand immediately comes up and grabs onto Amandiel’s neck. Amenadiel, in turn, reaches out and grabs onto Ezria’s neck.</p><p>The humans by the bar gasp and Lucifer scoots away from the two angels.</p><p>Amenadiel brings a knee up and kicks Ezria away. Ezria slides back and lands on his feet at the edge of the door to the balcony. Amenadiel walks towards him before getting a running start, grabbing Ezria, and pushing him backward. They cross over into the balcony, break the railing and fall off into the burning city below.</p><p>The lights flicker back on.</p><p>Lucifer pauses, then turns and spins back to the humans, a forces smile on his face.</p><p>“Terribly sorry about the intrusion. So deeply embarrassed,” he says before pausing and looking over everybody.</p><p>“Right well, perhaps we should call it an evening? If everyone will just make their way towards the elevator, we can-” Lucifer begins.</p><p>Then Amenadiel, covered in cuts and bleeding, comes crashing into the penthouse through a glass wall. He lands on the table and slides across it before coming to a stop in its center. He groans and tilts his head up, trying to get back up, before his head collapses, and he goes still.</p><p>Unconscious.</p><p>Lucifer looks at Amenadiel, then turns to the balcony as Ezria lands on it, not at all happy.</p><p>“Right, bathroom it is then,” he says, turning to Chloe.</p><p>She nods and motions for everyone to get into the bathroom. Her arms motioning for them to go. Dan grabs Jillian, Linda grabs Jack, Chloe grabs Natalie and Ella and Abel willingly go. Father Kyle just stands there, intrigue on his face as he watches.</p><p>Lucifer waits until everyone is at least in the office before turning to Ezria.</p><p>“Is this what you wanted? To embarrass me in front of my friends?” Lucifer asks.</p><p>“I waited for you to come around,” Ezria says, “to see that this place is not our home. We don’t belong here. I waited for you to get past your ego and pride. To just apologize for your stupidity and realize we don’t belong in hell. I am an angel! Son of God! I will no longer be cast aside like a common demon.”</p><p>Almost as if on cue, Chloe realizes they are missing someone and pops back into the living room. Dan comes up behind her and sees Father Kyle standing by the bar, watching.</p><p>Dan runs over Father Kyle and grabs his arm, but he waves Daniel off, more interested in watching. Dan tries again, but Father Kyle just shakes his head, “No,” he says, pulling his arm away from Dan.</p><p>Dan shakes his head and walks back to Chloe.</p><p>“Let’s get in and lock the door,” he whispers to her.</p><p>Chloe turns, and her eyes fall on an unconscious Maze laying by the steps. She turns her eyes to Dan, and he nods, having the same instinct. Together they drag Mazes body with them into the bathroom and locks the door.</p><p>“Now look at you,” Ezria says to Lucifer, “are you not upset that father has removed your birthright? Made you mortal? Are you not at all upset that he’s brought us here, and for what? To be mocked among our peers? To be hated and …and experience unimaginable pain?”</p><p>Lucifer furrows his eyebrows when Ezria says that. He takes a second look into his eyes and notices a tinge of sadness. He thinks for a moment before looking back on the balcony. Maybe he had missed something.</p><p>“Where’s your demon friend?” Lucifer asks, “what does he think of this?”</p><p>Ezria pauses. The anger fades for a second, and Lucifer sighs. He recognizes that look.</p><p>“I’m … I’m sorry,” he says.</p><p>“I want to go home,” Ezria says, a tint of sadness to his words.</p><p>“We can’t go home,” Lucifer says, “it is not our home anymore. Why don’t you see that?”</p><p>Ezria stares at the ground, memories of Calmos flooding his mind.</p><p>“It hurts,” Lucifer says, nodding, “I know, but … this is not the way to fix it.”</p><p>Ezria snarls and looks up at Lucifer, “What would you know? You know nothing! While you were free, living your life, and fulfilling all your desires, I was locked in a cage! I was bound like a prisoner!”</p><p>Father Kyle stands at the bar and tilts his head as he listens.</p><p>“You were able to walk free and enjoy the fruits of our labor,” Ezria continues, “I never got to truly feel the water of the river or the warmth of the sun. I didn’t get to experience mankind grow from a new creature with little understanding of itself to beings who freely explore their mortality.”</p><p>“That isn’t true,” Lucifer says, shaking his head.</p><p>“You know nothing!” Ezria screams, pulling a fist back and landing it into Lucifer’s gut.</p><p>Lucifer keels over, a searing pain in his stomach that makes him collapse to his knees.</p><p>Ezria pauses and looks at his fist. He somehow thought that would be harder. His confusion falls into understanding, then to glee.</p><p>He reaches down and grabs hold of Lucifer’s hair, pulling him up by the scalp. Lucifer grabs onto his hair and hisses.</p><p>He grunts in pain as he is pulled to his feet.</p><p>“But you will know,” Ezria says to Lucifer’s face, “perhaps it is time you all know.”</p><p>Ezria pulls a hand back to ready for a punch, before slamming his fist into Lucifer’s face. It results in a broken nose and a slurry of blood that falls down and stains Lucifer’s white shirt. Lucifer immediately brings a hand up to his nose and groans. Just then, Amenadiel stirs on the table and sits up. He surveys his surroundings for a moment until he sees Ezria. He gathers his energy, gets up, and tackles Ezria from the side.</p><p>Lucifer drops to his knees as Amenadiel and Ezria tussle. He crawls on his knees to the bar and looks up to see Father Kyle standing there – quite unbothered.</p><p>Lucifer rolls his eyes and pulls himself onto a stool.</p><p>“What are you, the referee?” Lucifer asks, pulling a napkin from the bar and trying to stop up the bleeding.</p><p>“Ye though I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil. For thou art with me,” Father Kyle whispers.</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, “Of course you're praying.”</p><p>Father Kyle shakes his head, “Not prayer,” he says, “revelation.”</p><p>Lucifer grunts, annoyed.</p><p>“Duality,” Father Kyle says, turning to Lucifer, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and earth. Man and Woman, good and evil.”</p><p>“Yes, yes, if you’re going to tell me how to fix the situation, then perhaps hurry this bit up?” Lucifer asks.</p><p>Father Kyle shakes his head, “I presume heaven you can touch. It is a physical and tangible thing like Earth.”</p><p>“Yes,” Lucifer says, his eyes turned back to the two angels fighting on the floor.</p><p>“Man and women-“</p><p>“Touched quite a few of those in my day,” Lucifer chuckles, turning to grab the whiskey he had on the countertop.</p><p>He goes to take a sip when he coughs, and a bit of blood comes out. It falls into his glass, and he grunts in displeasure.</p><p>“But good and evil …those are concepts,” Father Kyle says, “ideas. Things that aren’t tangible.”</p><p>Lucifer sets the glass down on the counter and turns back to the angels currently fighting in his living room. How the fuck is he going to fix this?</p><p>“But what if they aren’t?” Father kyle says, turning to Lucifer, “What if Good and Evil are also tangible things? Things we can touch.”</p><p>Lucifer narrows his eyes and stares at Father Kyle for a second before he slowly understands what Father Kyle is getting at.</p><p>Simultaneously they turn to the angels on the ground right as Ezria launches Amenadiel towards the bookcase. Amenadiel lands and falls to a pile on the ground, huffing and out of breath.</p><p>Ezria stands up, not at all phased but more so annoyed that he is meeting such resistance.</p><p>“I have no intention of killing you, brother,” Ezria says to Amenadiel, “but If you continue to get in my way, I will.”</p><p>Ezria then turns to see Father kyle and Lucifer staring at him.</p><p>“Oh God,” Lucifer says.</p><p>---- -- ------ --- ---</p><p>At Chloe’s home, Trixie’s babysitter Brittany sits on the couch watching the news. She has a pillow in her arms, and her knees are brought up and crossed.</p><p>She watches the city burn and ambulances driving through the streets on the news.</p><p>“Police have been all hands on deck for the last hour,” the reporter says, “as there seems to be a rise in violent deaths across the city. We don’t yet have confirmation about what is causing this, whether it is drugs or gang warfare, but quite a few innocent-“</p><p>Just then, a woman runs behind her, screaming and crying. The reporter turns as a large demon wearing leather pants and a necklace made of human teeth, walks up behind her. He easily tosses her over his shoulder. She beats him with the microphone and kicks as the cameraman sets the camera down and moves to save her. All that is seen is feet.</p><p>“Let her go!” a man says.</p><p>It is followed by a horrible crunch. Seconds later, the cameraman falls onto the ground, his body directly in the line of sight of the camera.</p><p>Brittany gasps.</p><p>The feed cuts off and turns back to the studio where reports sit staring at the screen.</p><p>“Oh God,” the female reporter says, bringing her hand to her mouth.</p><p>The male reporter looks pale and just moves his mouth, needing to say something but not knowing what.</p><p>“We uh … we are having some …we will be right back,” he says before the news cuts to advertisements.</p><p>Brittany shakes her head, unsure of what is going on. She pulls up her phone to text her mom, her hands shaking.</p><p>Just then, Trixie bounces out of her room with a pair of pink headphones on and a cell phone in her hand. She walks down the hallway and walks towards the kitchen. Brittany turns to her, eyes wide. Trixie looks happy and blissfully unaware. Trixie opens the fridge and pulls out a small can of soda.</p><p>She sets the phone on the counter before moving to the cupboard and pulling out a small bag of chips. She turns and finds Brittany staring at her. Her face is pale, and she looks horrified.</p><p>She slides the headphones off her ears, allowing loud pop music to blast out from beneath it.</p><p>“Why do you look like that?” she asks.</p><p>Brittany shakes her head, “I just … how are things? You okay?” she says, her mouth dry.</p><p>Trixie nods and smiles.</p><p>She puts the headphone back on and walks back to her room.</p><p>Inside is a bedroom that is fit for a pre-teen. She has a large bed, enough space to dance and play, and a desk where a tablet sits. In the corner, in a dog bed fit for a king, bubbles happily sleeps. He is much bigger and definitely no longer a puppy. But he is still soft and cuddly looking.</p><p>Trixie walks over to the small white desk. Here a tablet sits with a paused video.</p><p>Trixie sits at her seat and presses to pause the music before switching back to the online video she was watching of two boys playing video games.</p><p>She smiles and cracks the soda can effectively waking bubbles up. He looks up, wags his tail, and watches her. He stretches before standing up, turning in a circle a few times and finding a comfortable position again.</p><p>A shadow walks past the bedroom window that Trixie doesn’t notice, but Bubble does.</p><p>He watches for a moment before getting up and sliding past her chair to the window. Here he climbs up onto a dresser by the window, knocking off some perfume and toiletries.</p><p>Trixie hears it and turns to him.</p><p>“Bubbles!” she says, pausing the video, “Down. You know you aren’t supposed to-“</p><p>She hears a glass break followed by Brittany screaming. She snaps her head to the door and pauses.</p><p>Bubbles drops down to the floor from the dresser and sprints to the door. Here he scratches at it while barking.</p><p>Trixie pauses, hearing Brittany scream from outside. It sounds like she’s throwing things. Bubbles continues to scratch at the door, barking louder and growling.</p><p>Trixie runs over to the door and opens it. Bubble slides through the door, barking and sprinting towards the sound. Trixie sticks her head out just in time to see Brittany dive over the back of the couch, stumble and pick herself up before grabbing a lamp off a side table and tossing it. It lands with a crash against the opposite wall just as a beefy looking man jumps over the back of the couch.</p><p>His face is caved in, and Trixie can clearly the muscles of his face and the bone of his teeth. Trixie raises her eyes in horror and shuts the door. She locks it and backs away before turning to grab her phone.</p><p>A wave of nausea falls over her as she realizes she left her phone in the kitchen.</p><p>- ---- -----</p><p>Inside Lucifer’s bathroom, Jillian and Jack are freaking out while Natalie just stares, a little too quiet and calm. Linda watches her for a moment before turning to Dan and Chloe, who tend to a bleeding wound on Maze’s forehead.</p><p>“Is she alive?” Linda asks, watching Chloe place a bandaid on the cut.</p><p>Dan nods, “Yeah.”</p><p>“Cool… cool,” Linda says, “I’m really trying not to freak out here.”</p><p>“Lucifer’s got this,” Chloe says, “him and Amenadiel they …they can handle this.”</p><p>A large crash like glass breaking is heard, and they both turn to the door.</p><p>“Yeah, totally. Just …just another day in celestial warfare,” Linda says</p><p>--- -- -- -- ----</p><p>Inside her bedroom, Trixie crouches inside her closet. In her hand, she clutches a curved demon blade that just so happens to be spray-painted purple.</p><p>Brittany screams and cries from outside, followed by more furniture being knocked over and doors being slammed and broken into.</p><p>Trixie cries, rocking back and forth in the closet. She can’t get the image of that man’s face out of her brain. It was unnatural and inhuman, and …</p><p>She pauses her rocking, it dawning on her where she’s seen something that looks oddly similar to that before.</p><p>It looked like Maze’s face.</p><p>Her eyes cut to the dagger in her hand, and then it all makes sense.</p><p>“Oh,” she says.</p><p>Then she thinks about Lucifer and her body slacks.</p><p>“Oh!” she says.</p><p>She tilts her head, thinking about how her mom dated Lucifer at one point. Did her mom know? Is that why he’s been gone for so long?</p><p>Suddenly, there is a strange wind that blows through the closet. She pauses, and on the back of it is an unearthly growl. She then realizes she does not hear Bubbles barking anymore.</p><p>Her realization is followed by a bark that doesn’t sound like bubbles at all. It sounds like a bark, but it’s a deeper bark, one that echoes.</p><p>Brittany stops screaming, and her screams instead are replaced by the sound of a man screaming. It sounds like twenty dogs are in her living room. She can hear their feet pitter-patter and then feels the strange safety in their presence.</p><p>A shadow rolls across the slats of her closet.</p><p>“Mommy?” Trixie says, unsure.</p><p>The house is oddly silent.</p><p>Then the barking stops, and the strange wind slowly dissipates.</p><p>Trixie stands up slowly and gently opens the sliding door to her closet.</p><p>The house is too silent.</p><p>She looks around her bedroom for a moment before approaching her bedroom door. She lays her ears up to it for a moment.</p><p>Then she hears the distinct sound of scratching followed by the sound of whimpering from a dog.</p><p>“Bubbles?” Trixie says before unlocking her door and swinging it open.</p><p>He trots in happily and walks circles around her before sitting by her feet.</p><p>Trixie looks at bubbles oddly for a second before poking her head out into the living room. She pauses in horror when everything, the ceiling, the floor, and the walls …even poor catatonic Brittany – who has taken to being balled up on the floor by the back of the couch - is covered in bright red blood.</p><p>Trixie just stares, unsure what to make of this. She turns her eyes back down to bubbles, who wags his tail and sits patiently by her feet.</p><p>Bubbles barks and wags his tail. Trixie narrows her eyes at him.</p><p>“Did you do that?” she asks.</p><p>He barks happily.</p><p>“You’re not a real dog, are you?” she asks.</p><p>Bubbles lays down on the ground and whimpers, his head on his paws.</p><p>She stares at him for a second, her mind not knowing how to process all of this. Her immediate instinct is to say how freaking cool this is, but she still is very aware her mom might not appreciate a living room covered in blood.</p><p>Trixie kneels down to Bubbles and pulls his head into her hands.</p><p>“Can you understand what I’m saying?” she asks.</p><p>Bubbles barks then sits up.</p><p>Trixie smiles and sits back on her knees. Her smile slowly falls.</p><p>“Was that guy a bad guy?” she asks.</p><p>Bubbles barks, then growls.</p><p>Trixie narrows her eyes.</p><p>“Is Lucifer a bad guy?” she asks.</p><p>Bubbles barks and spins happily in a circle.</p><p>Trixie doesn’t know what to make of that.</p><p>“I’m going to take that as a no,” she says before smiling again.</p><p>She watches as Bubbles spins around then comes and sits right beside her.</p><p>She is silent for a very long time, processing all of this. Suddenly it dawns on her she isn’t alone.</p><p>She slowly turns and pokes her head out to see Brittany still cowered below a side table and covered in head to toe in blood.</p><p>Trixie sighs and turns back to bubbles.</p><p>“What are we going to do about her?” Trixie asks.</p><p>Bubbles barks and walks happily out to the living room, his tail wagging behind him.</p><p>He approaches Brittany. She doesn’t look at him, she just stares out, her eyes wide.</p><p>Bubbles starts to lick her face, cleaning the blood off.</p><p>Trixie stares at him, then looks at the walls. She walks out further into the living room to survey the damage. The entire living room is trashed like a tornado came through it. If it isn’t covered in blood, it is covered in pieces of other items that were once whole. Items that Brittany no doubt used as weapons against her attacker.</p><p>Trixie sighs, perhaps it is best she just let her mom handle this one.</p><p>That suddenly makes Trixie remember her phone, and she walks past Bubbles towards the kitchen to get her phone.</p><p>---- -- ---- --- ---</p><p>Lucifer slides across the bar and falls on the floor near the elevator. He pants and tries to move, but everything hurts. He turns and coughs, pulling up dark blood.</p><p>He turns as Ezria approaches him.</p><p>“I thought you would help me,” Ezria says angrily, “but you’re just as bad as the rest of them, aren’t you?”</p><p>“Brother,” Lucifer says, shaking his head, “we may not be deserving of the silver city, but one thing is for certain. <em>You</em> are not deserving of Father’s grace.”</p><p>Ezria reaches out and grabs Lucifer by his throat. Lucifer claws at Ezria’s hands to unhand him.</p><p>“Lucifer!” he hears, and they turn to see Chloe standing at the steps to his bedroom.</p><p>“Trixie was attacked by a demon,” she says.</p><p>Lucifer furrows his eyebrows, “What?!”</p><p>“She’s okay, she has Bubbles, but … it’s happening everywhere. It’s all over the news.”</p><p>Lucifer turns back to Ezria, his eyes wide in shock as if just now understanding the gravity of what Ezria is doing.</p><p>“Brother, what have you done?” he asks, horror in his voice.</p><p>“I am doing as you should have done a long time ago,” he says, “I am making it right. Showing Father where he should be placing his affection.”</p><p>Ezria raises Lucifer higher, his feet dangling above the ground.</p><p>Chloe gasps.</p><p>“Don’t! Please,” Chloe says, stepping down the steps, “You don’t have to do this.”</p><p>Ezria scoffs and turns to Lucifer.</p><p>“You see what you’ve done, brother? You’ve made the mortals think they can speak to us any way they please. They believe they can sway my mind as if I am weak.”</p><p>Lucifer’s feet wrap around Ezria’s knee, trying to give him some leverage to take the strain off his windpipe. Ezria slaps his feet away, and Lucifer goes back to struggling, his face turning deep purple.</p><p>“Stop!” Chloe yells.</p><p>“It isn’t I who is weak,” Ezria says to Lucifer, “It’s you. It has always been you.”</p><p>Lucifer tries to say something, but nothing comes out.</p><p>“I’d be doing us all a favor if I just …crush you like the ant you’ve become,” he says, tightening his grip on Lucifer’s windpipe.</p><p>Suddenly shots ring out, five of them until Chloe runs out of bullets and the gun clicks.</p><p>Ezria slowly turns to her, displeasure behind his already sinister eyes.</p><p>“I’d be doing everyone a favor,” he says.</p><p>“Mortals are weak. They caused all of this.”</p><p>He looks over Chloe, such disdain in his eyes.</p><p>Ezria suddenly throws Lucifer against the wall, knocking the wind out of him. Then he drops Lucifer, who lands on his feet but then collapses, holding his throat as he gasps for air.</p><p>“I’m going to undo the greatest mistake of all time,” he says slowly approaching Chloe.</p><p>Chloe tries to shoot her gun again, but she’s out of bullets. Instead, she tosses the gun, and Ezria ducks out of the way. It hits Lucifer on the back of the head, and he collapses to the floor.</p><p>“Lucifer!” she huffs.</p><p>Ezria chuckles.</p><p>“Perhaps I should start with you?” he says.</p><p>Lucifer stands up, his stance unsteady and his head hurting. He is completely battered, but he still stands up.</p><p>“Don’t,” he huffs, his hands out.</p><p>“Show Father what little his miracles mean,” Ezria says.</p><p>Lucifer grunts, gathering his energy and turns. He runs towards Ezria and Jumps on his back, pulling his arm tight around Ezria’s throat. Ezria looks agitated, but not wholly affected. He grabs Lucifer by the arm and spins him before slamming him to the ground on his back. Lucifer winces in pain, his body writhing as he can feel a few ribs have been broken.</p><p>Ezria sighs.</p><p>“You’re going to get in my way, aren’t you?” he asks, reaching out, grabbing Lucifer’s shirt collar and hoisting him to his feet.</p><p>“This isn’t you,” Lucifer says, shaking his head, “This isn’t you Ezria.”</p><p>“How do you know anything about me?” Ezria asks, “you’re just as bad as the others!”</p><p>Ezria spins him around and pushes him back towards the wall near the elevator.</p><p>“You know I can’t go back,” Lucifer says, “we can’t. If we try, it will start the final war, and everything we’ve worked so hard for will be destroyed.”</p><p>Ezria grins.</p><p>“Look around you, brother, what do you think I am doing?” he says, smiling.</p><p>“It’s not too late,” Lucifer says.</p><p>“It was too late when you locked me in that cell,” Ezria counters.</p><p>“You will destroy everything!” Lucifer says, trying to talk some sense into him.</p><p>Ezria smiles, “I believe that is the point, brother,” he says.</p><p>“Now, be a good boy and stay,” he says condescendingly.</p><p>Seconds later, his wing pulls back, and he jams the blade on the edge of his wing into Lucifer’s gut.</p><p>Lucifer cries out.</p><p>“No!” Chloe yells.</p><p>The blade goes deep into the wall behind him, pinning him to it.</p><p>Ezria lets go of Lucifer and allows the blade to fully support Lucifer’s weight.</p><p>Ezria reaches his hands over and unbuckles the blade from his wings, letting his wing slip free from the hilt.</p><p>The spot beneath where the leather straps sat are free from feathers and - even in their darkness – it is easy to tell they are bruised.</p><p>“Now,” he says, turning to Chloe.</p><p>“Perhaps he should know how it feels to have everything ripped from him,” he says.</p><p>“No!” Lucifer screams, trying to fight through the pain to dig the blade out of him, blood pours quickly out of the wound in his gut.</p><p>His face turns red from strain as he tries but fails. He only manages to cut hip his hands even more.</p><p>The harder he tries to slip the blade out of him, the more he cuts up his hands and the woozier he feels.</p><p>The world around him dulls, and sound distorts until he falls unconscious.</p><p>--</p><p>At the front lines, a war still wages. Michael’s army continues to fight off the fallen angels. A few of the Angel’s on God’s side are downed and recovering behind the front lines. Quite a few of the Fallen angels are worst for wear, but the war still wages.</p><p>“We can’t keep going like this!” an angel screams at Michael.</p><p>“Hold steady brothers!” he responds.</p><p>“They are going to keep coming!” another angel screams, fighting off the swipe of a demon blade.</p><p>“Do not lose your will now!” Michael yells, tossing another Fallen angel backward.</p><p>“We have to kill them!” another angel says.</p><p>“You will not!” Michael screams, “They are our brothers!”</p><p>“We don’t have a choice!” another angel screams, turning his blade and jamming it into the gut of a fallen angel.</p><p>“No!” Michael yells.</p><p>The fallen angel drops to the ground, clenching his belly. He does not get back up.</p><p>The other Angels of Michael’s army see this and make up their own minds. They grip their swords and begin slicing, trying to inflict damage.</p><p>“Brothers!” Michael yells, but it is too late.</p><p>The fallen angels don’t seem deterred by the deadly change of the battle. Instead, they seem emboldened and fight harder.</p><p>--- -- -- --- -- - --</p><p>Lucifer sits up, his head killing him and a hollow pain in his gut. He opens his eyes as he groans and looks around. Slowly it dawns on him he isn’t in his living room anymore. Instead, all he sees is fog.</p><p>He turns to look at the ground and finds his white and black pebbles.</p><p>He grunts.</p><p>The grunts echoes and comes from the fog.</p><p>“No, no. I need to go back!” Lucifer says, panicked, as he stands.</p><p>“We grow weary of you,” the fog says.</p><p>“So you’ve mentioned,” Lucifer replies, “Now send me back!”</p><p>“That is not our task,” a voice says.</p><p>Lucifer spins around, catching a glimpse of a cape.</p><p>He narrows his eyes, “Do you ever do anything that is not your task?” Lucifer asks, his ears pinpointing, trying to track the movement.</p><p>“Our desire is singular,” a voice says.</p><p>“Yes,” he says, Lucifer shifts slightly to the right, his ears trained and his palms ready.</p><p>“As is mine.”</p><p>He sees the movement of a cape to his right and immediately jolts forward and grabs the end of it.</p><p>His other hand comes and gets a better grip, just as the cape slips out of first hand. Then he yanks, pulling it towards him.</p><p>“What are you doing?!” a voice asks, shocked.</p><p>Lucifer looks up, trying to see what the cape is attached to and only finds fog. On instinct, he brings his free hand forward and grabs at the fog, expecting his fist to close over emptiness. Instead, there is something solid there. Lucifer yanks it forward with all his might and pulls away from the edges of the thick fog and comes face to face with …</p><p>“Hah!” he says, “I knew you were bald!”</p><p>The being on the other end of his closed fist rolls his eyes. His skin is pale white, and his eyes are pale blue. He has no hair, and the cape around his neck fades into a white mist.</p><p>“Send me back,” Lucifer demands, the intention behind his eyes.</p><p>“Unhand me!” the sieve says as a misty white hand comes up and slaps Lucifer’s hand off him.</p><p>The being slips back into the fog.</p><p>“What do I have to do to keep you out of my home?” the voice says, completely over Lucifer’s shit.</p><p>“Send me back,” Lucifer says.</p><p>“We can’t do that,” the voice says.</p><p>“Look, I promise I will try my damndest not to come here the next time I die if you just … send me back.”</p><p>There is silence for a very long time.</p><p>“A deal with Samael,” he hears, the voice closer than normal.</p><p>More interested than normal.</p><p>“My word is my bond,” Lucifer says.</p><p>“You want to go back?” the voice says.</p><p>Lucifer turns to find the being floating beside him, no longer hiding in the mist.</p><p>Lucifer smiles, “Yes.”</p><p>“He will be upset with me if I tell you,” the figure says.</p><p>“More the reason to tell,” Lucifer replies.</p><p>The figure’s eyes narrow, and he sighs.</p><p>“Down the path,” he says, pointing behind him.</p><p>Lucifer turns and sees the mist thin around him. Here the black and white pebbled shift so that the black pebbles line up and form a pathway.</p><p>Lucifer turns to the figure.</p><p>“What is down there?”</p><p>“The truth,” the figure says.</p><p>Lucifer narrows his eyes and slowly leans into the figure.</p><p>“What is it you desire?” he asks.</p><p>The figure rolls his eyes and sighs, “this is my home. You disturb it with your presence. I desire you to stop visiting me. Us.”</p><p>Lucifer steps back and turns to the path.</p><p>“So what, I just walk down there and then I head back home?”</p><p>“You’ll know what you need to do,” the figure says before turning and disappearing into the fog.</p><p>Lucifer groans.</p><p>“I do wish one of my father’s creations would be more forthcoming with me,” he says, yelling at the figure.</p><p>He sighs and turns back to the path, “It’s bloody frustrating.”</p><p>He walks up the path quickly, hoping time moves slower here than it does on earth.</p><p>He continues through the fog, following the marbles as they shift and turn to offer him a path. He glances behind him as he moves, only to find the pathway closing behind him. Marbles change back into their typical configuration with each step forward. The fog going back to being thick as he moves.</p><p>Lucifer turns ahead of him and walks faster. Soon, the path ends, and Lucifer finds himself standing at the edge of a large black marbled circle. The fog here is so much thinner, and he can see for yards in front of him. There is nothing in this circle but black marbles. At its center sits a single tree. It is lush and dense, and the leaves hang heavy with morning dew.</p><p>Except there is no morning here, only fog.</p><p>It’s roots dig into the black marbles, no grass or greenery in sight with the exception of this tree.</p><p>Lucifer narrows his eyes. He recognizes this tree.</p><p>He looks around, unsure for a moment.</p><p>Is this the garden? Or what is left of it.</p><p>He steps forward, his feet touching the black marbles beneath him. He continues stepping forward, tentatively.</p><p>This can’t be.</p><p>He continues stepping forward towards the center. His eyes remain on a swivel, uncertain of what else is here.</p><p>When he gets to the tree, he looks up through the canopy of leaves. It is healthy as if it hadn’t missed a single day of sunlight and water. As if it had been tended to like an orchid in a window sill.</p><p>He continues observing it, until he notices something on the other side of the tree. He tilts his head and walks around it, encircling it until he comes face to face with a single red fruit. He stares at it for a moment then looks around.</p><p>“Well,” he huffs, “I suppose I ended in the garden after all.”</p><p>He reaches out, grabs the fruit, and snaps it off its branch. The second he snaps it off, the leaves on the tree shrivel and fall in a glorious cascade. They leave behind a naked tree that shrinks and wilts.</p><p>Lucifer looks at the tree, eyes wide.</p><p>“I suppose we won’t be making apple pie any time soon.”</p><p>He looks at the fruit in his hands and sighs.</p><p>“and I suppose this is what faith is,” he says.</p><p>He pauses, his mind suddenly going onto the passage that Father Kyle had told him.</p><p>“The Lord leadeth him unto Eden,” he says to himself, looking around.</p><p>Lucifer scoffs.</p><p>“Is this it?” he asks, yelling at the mist, “Is this your big plan?”</p><p>Not surprisingly, he doesn’t get a response.</p><p>“Bloody … fine,” he says as he brings it up to his mouth and takes a bite.</p><p>He snaps off a chunk. It is crisp and watery and delicious - the perfect apple.</p><p>He chews for a bit, surprised at how delightful the fruit is, even after all this time.</p><p>He swallows.</p><p>“Not bad for a-“ be begins until his pupils blow out, and his jaw drops.</p><p>In a single instance, the mist in front of him disappears and is replaced with the endless darkness. It doesn’t disappear, it fades out as if he were suddenly zooming out to see the universe in its entirety. He can still feel black marble beneath his feet, but the fog is gone. As is the tree and as is the world he was just in.</p><p>Then the endless darkness in front of him explodes into purple and blue and yellow glasses that expand and contract and shoot out. Stretching the endless darkness into matter, into <em>something</em>.</p><p>Lucifer’s eyes begin to tear up, his jaw slack. His hand drops, and he lets go of the fruit. It lands onto the black marbles, where it quickly shrivels and rots and sinks into the floor beneath him.</p><p>He stares, watching as the heavens are formed in his mind’s eye. As the universe stretches, however, the edges begin to pool with a strange swirling darkness.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>The ever-expanding light and fire push it back, but it becomes clear it is a fight between wills. Then he sees his father, a face forming between the gasses. Then he sees his father again, except the face pulls from the darkness. The battle is tense and tight, with the light winning out only slightly, the darkness expanding further and further away until suddenly it disappears and the universe wins out.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>The heavens are steady.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>The ground forms, and the silver city is erected like it had always been there. He sees the form of his father and his mother coalesce at the edges, a deep smile on their face.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“What first?” she asks.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>God smiles.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Samael,” he says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>She laughs, “have you no patience?” she asks, “can we not enjoy this life for a few eons first?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>She reaches out to hold onto God, her finger tracing down the middle of his robe. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I can think of a few things I’d like to do without prying eyes,” she says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Lucifer’s lip raises in disgust. This was not something he wanted to see.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>God smiles and grabs the Goddess's hand.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“There is always someone watching,” he says, kissing her hand. Then he turns his eyes, and it seems like he is staring directly at Lucifer. Lucifer tilts his head, curious.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>She sighs and nods.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>He leans in and kisses her before turning and reaching out into a hovering ball of gas. He puts his hand in and turns to her. She sighs and nods before she puts her hand in, and together they pull. They pull and pull as the gas swirls, and universe tenses until eventually, each of them pulls out a small child; twins.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>The one in her hand cries and kicks while the one in God’s hand is silent, happy.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Which one?” she asks.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>God looks over them and nods to the baby in her hand.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“That one,” he says before she nods and looks at the child. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>It cries, and she frowns before resting a hand on its chest. Its eyes begin to glow green before she turns it and rests the baby on her shoulders.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“There, there, Ezria,” she says, comforting the baby.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>God looks down at the baby in his hands, the one who kicks happily. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>He smiles and rests a hand on its chest as the baby’s eyes begin to glow white, then red, then turn back into a deep brown.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“You shall have everything you desire, Samael,” he says, “in due time.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>He hands baby Samael to his mother, and she easily cradles both babies in her arms.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I will remember these moments,” she says, bouncing both babies on her shoulder, “before they hate us.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>God smiles sadly and nods.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Things worth doing are never easy,” he says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I know,” she replies.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Then, let us begin,” he nods.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>She smiles and nods.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>A third hand comes out from around her back and shifts Samael to it, cradling him against her side.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>With her free hand, she reaches into the ball of gas and helps God pull out another child. This time the universe doesn’t tense, but willingly gives the child up.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>This particular ball of gas is used up as a pre-teen boy falls out onto the ground. He is naked, and two long appendages with white pin feathers stick out of his back. They are his wings, not yet grown in but there. He blinks and looks around for a second, not understanding what is happening. He sits back on his knees and looks at his hands as if he had never seen them before. As if he had never existed before.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>He hears movement behind him and turns to look up at God. God leans down and sets his hand on the boy’s head.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>The boy closes his eyes. Seconds later, he opens them with a solid understanding of his place in the world. He stands and suddenly finds himself donned in a white robe.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Stand next to me, Michael,” God says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Yes, Father,” Michael responds.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Here, hold your brothers,” the Goddess says as she hands both babies to him.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>He nods and accepts them both easily into his hands.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>The Goddess, now with just two arms, looks at God and nods. He looks out into the universe, willing a cloud of gas to come closer.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“How about a wager?” he asks her.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>She chuckles and says, “You know I will win.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>He smiles, “In which universe?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“In this one,” she says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>He shakes his head, “That sounds as If you are afraid.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>She grunts and reaches into the gas to pull out another child, this one a toddler.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Even now, you choose to talk too much,” she says with a grin.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>He smiles, and they go about it, pulling angel after angel from the gasses.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>--------</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Lucifer watches the universe expand. He watches himself fill the sky with stars. He watches his brothers fill the earth with plants and animals. He watches God toil away in private, carving out the first demons from clay, then tossing them to the underworld upset. He watches the creation of Lillith, followed quickly by her fall. Then he watches the birth of Mazikeen.</p><p>He watches Ezria sneak into the garden.</p><p>He watches the lush and dense pocket of bushes where the empty form of Ezria lays undisturbed. A crash of lightning hits somewhere, and the world vibrates.</p><p>
  <em>--------</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Who told you to hide?!” the angry voice of God booms.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Suddenly Ezria inhales and opens his eyes. A jade fire swirls inside of them before fading into a deep hazel.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“It was the snake! It told me-“ a female voice says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Ezria sits up, cowering in the tree line. There is a look of uncertainty in his eyes. Why was father so upset? </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>He moves to leave the small pocket before suddenly a hand grabs his robe and yanks him out. He is pulled to his feet and faced with the sinister glare of Michael.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“What have you done?” he grunts between his teeth.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Ezria looks confused, “I just-“</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“You wait until Father hears of your sabotage.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Michael tightens his fist, and his wings pop out. Then he jumps, and soon they land in the clearing where God stands beneath the tree of Knowledge. Michael lets go of Ezria, tossing him to the ground at God’s feet. Ezria tilts his head up, catching the glance of God with his eyes sparkling green.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Go find Samael,” God says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Michael nods and spreads his wings. When he is gone, God turns to Ezria.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Ezria stands up and smooths out the robe with his hands.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I did as you asked,” God says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Kneel,” God commands.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Ezria slowly kneels down in silence.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“You tempted Eve,” God says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Ezria nods, “I did my task, Father. I did as you asked me to do.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Mmm,” he says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>God stands in silence for a moment, his face not giving away any secrets as to his emotions.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Have I not done as you asked me to?” Ezria asks, second-guessing himself.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>God turns to him.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Tell me, have you seen the ark yet?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Ezria shakes his head, “Pardon?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“The ark.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Ezria shakes his head, “I don’t know what it is you speak of,” Ezria says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>God nods and sighs.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“In due time, my child,” he says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Nearby, Azrael lands.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“You summoned me, Father?” she asks.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>He nods, “Come stand by me, child.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>She furrows her eyebrow in confusion but obeys.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Ezria moves to stand again, and God turns his eyes to him, a thunderstorm kicking up behind him.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I said kneel!” he yells.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Ezria kneels back down, nervousness brewing in his body.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>He turns just as Michael and Samael enter the circle.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>--------</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Lucifer watches as he lies for the first time as he saves his brother's life. As they are condemned to live in Hell for eternity. As he locks his brother in his cell.</p><p>
  <em>--------</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>The cell door slams, and Ezria watches as Lucifer and his legion of demons walk up the winding pathway to the top of the caldera. Ezria sighs and shakes his head before walking further into the cell. He trips over a small step. He furrows his eyebrows and allows a green fire to burn in his eyes. Here he can make out more details about the cell.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>In its center lay a recessed square on which a small metal grate sits. Nearby hanging chains dangle from metallics hooks on the sides of the walls. It is a far cry from the accommodations his brothers and sisters have. Though he supposes in the privacy of this cell, he’ll have a moment to satisfy his …lesser urges.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>He sighs and sits down on the top step.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>He sits there for a moment, replaying it in his head. He had only done as he was asked.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Why was it such a big-</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>He hears a shift of rock on the other side of the cell and looks up. He stares out, his green eyes glowing in the otherwise darkness.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Hello?” he says, standing.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>He doesn’t get a reply. His eyes shift back and forth between the darkness around him. He narrows his eyes, getting a strange feeling from this room. He backs away towards the door before peeking out the grate. The pathway is empty.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>He turns back to the room, the hair on his neck standing on edge.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Lucifer would be back to let him out shortly, he is sure of it.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>--------</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Lucifer floats in an empty void of time, his pupils blown out and watching as time flies by. As Hell is turned into something more hospitable, or at least the best, he can make it.</p><p>Lucifer watches as Cain kills Abel. As more humans, more damned souls, enter Hell be demons take to them to do as they please. As cells are created to hold them, to contain their guilt. As earthly civilizations rise and fall. As humans spread across the earth and change color with the seasons. He watches as he tries to escape Hell, to walk the earth. As Amenadiel pulls him back. As Ezria rots in his cell, that same strange darkness from the beginning of the universe seeping into his spirit.</p><p>He watches the birth of Calmos.</p><p>Then, he watches something far more peculiar. God, without a human form, on earth.</p><p>It happens inside a small blacksmith shop at night with a familiar demon.</p><p>
  <em>--------</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Inside the empty blacksmith shop, Atmos tucks a baby Calmos into his personal trunk. He cares little about handling the child with care. After all, it is a half-demon baby, it won’t be as fragile as a human child. Besides, where he is going, the air will be far less breathable. He should get used to it now, Atmos thinks.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Atmos can’t change the way he was created, but he can certainly affect the way he is raised. No child of his, half-human or not, will be weak. He pulls the lid on the truck and locks it. Atmos hears shifting behind him and clutches his blades before spinning around. On the other side of his forge, staring into the coals, he sees a man.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Hey,” Atmos growls.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>The man looks up at him with an oddly familiar smile on his face.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“You best get out of here before I take you to hell with me!” Atmos snarls before letting his face drop. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Before letting his real form bleed through the soft pink flesh.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>The man stares at him, unmoved and unaffected.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Are you certain that is what you intend to do?” God asks, moving away from the forge, closer to Atmos.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Atmos pauses. This person didn’t seem affected at all.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>God smiles and turns to the lantern, the one glowing right next to him. He looks at it, and the light snuffs out. Yet, there is still light in the room. It’s coming from him. Suddenly it dawns on Atmos who he is talking to.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“It's you,” he huffs, shocked.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>God smiles, “It’s me.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Atmos grunts, and smacks his lips as if he’s tasted something he doesn’t like.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I have nothing to say to you,” he says, going back to locking up his trunk.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Now that isn’t true, you and your ilk have much you’d like to say to me,” God smiles.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Atmos turns to him, thinking of all the things he would like to say. But if this being truly is God, then he already knows. There is no use in wasting his breath.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Even so, there is nothing for us to discuss,” Atmos says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I don’t know about that. What about the halfling you have stored in that trunk?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Atmos pauses and turns to God. He narrows his eyes and pulls out his blades.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“That would be none of your concern.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“You know how demons and angels feel about halflings,” God says, “do you truly want to risk them finding out? How will you explain the child on your arrival to Hell?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Atmos positions himself in front of the chest. He didn’t want the boy that badly, but if God wanted him, then it would mean nothing for him to try and make it as difficult as possible for God to attain him.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I’m taking the boy,” he says, his blades at the ready.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>God smiles, “Good. I want you to.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Atmos pauses, furrows his eyes, and blinks. He is utterly confused.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“What?” he asks.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“The child will make an excellent apprentice someday. I’m sure of it. That is, if you manage to convince him. I foresee him being very wily.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Atmos narrows his eyes in suspicion.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“What are you playing at?” Atmos says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Come now, you don’t expect me to not be present for the birth of the only halfling in ages? Demon-halfling no less. One might say it is a miracle,” God says, impressed, “You must have strong blood.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Atmos loosens slightly at the praise.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Yes,” he says, standing up straight, not covering the trunk as much, “very strong blood.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Well,” God huffs, holding his hand out to the trunk, “By all means, go. Don’t allow me to hold you up. Consider me a silent observer.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Atmos looks at God a little bit, still unsure. He tucks one blade into his waistband. It frees up a hand for him to finish tying the trunk closed, while the other hand stays on a blade, just in case. It needed to be tight to survive the travel to Hell.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“In fact,” God chimes in after a few moments, “It isn’t everyday one has a halfling child. I believe this to be your first, correct?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“And only,” Atmos says, tying the trunk closed while keeping an eye on God, “spawn are a burden. I’m only keeping this one because I could use the help.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Rightly so,” God says, stepping forward, “I envision your bladesmithing in the underworld to be quite prolific.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Atmos sees his movement and stands straight up, ready to fight.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Calm yourself,” God says, chuckling, “I just want to give you a gift. In celebration of your son.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>God produces a scroll from behind him. Atmos looks down at it.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“What is it?” he asks.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“It’s a blueprint,” God says, “for an extraordinary blade.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Atmos slowly reaches out a hand and takes it.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>He unfurls the scroll and indeed finds an exceptionally detailed blueprint for a blade that attaches to wings and has bizarre markings on it.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“What are these?” he asks.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Celestial sigils,” God replies, “I made them myself.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Atmos rolls his eyes, “Of course.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Atmos rolls the scroll back up and moves to tuck it into his waistband, but before he can, It disappears from his hand. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Atmos looks at his hand, shocked, before turning to God.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I took the liberty of placing it in your trunk for safety,” God says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Atmos stares at him, his alarms going off, saying there was something suspicious about this exchange.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Of course, there is a caveat,” God says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Atmos chuckles and nods, “Of course there is. What? You want me to stop reaping souls? Stop making deals? Perhaps talk to your son for you about saying he’s sorry?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>God chuckles and shakes his head, “Even I am aware you don’t have access to Samael in such a manner.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Atmos grins, “Samael?” he says, not having heard that name in a long time.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Oh, it’s been a long time since anyone has called him that,” Atmos laughs.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “No, my request is far more … manageable,” God says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Atmos crosses his legs and hops onto the trunk with little regard for the precious cargo that is inside of it.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Alright, let’s hear it.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“That blueprint is made to only be used one time. Once you create a set of blades with it, the sigils will no longer be able to be scried.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Atmos narrows his eyes.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“What do you mean?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“They, unfortunately, can only be used once,” God says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“That makes no sense,” Atmos replies.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Sense is what I make it to be,” God says, his smile faltering at the criticism.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Atmos tenses his jaw and nods, “Fine. So it’s a one time deal. I get it.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“And since it is a celestial blade, it can only be made for an angel.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“We have plenty of those in Hell. I’m sure someone will want it,” Atmos says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“and you must only make it if it is asked of you,” God says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Atmos grins, “A challenge. I like it.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>God smiles and nods, “Yes.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“and uh, what happens if I don’t do any of that?” he asks.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>God smiles, “you won’t,”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“but what if I do? Say someone offers me something more valuable.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“You won’t,” God says again.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“What if I do?” Atmos asks.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>God sighs, getting annoyed with this game.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Because if you do, I will recast you. Give you a soul and make you mortal. Then make you live out a happy mortal life with multiple children who love you very dearly.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Atmos raises his lip in disgust.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Fine,” Atmos says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>They sit in silence for a moment, neither knowing what to say. Or rather, God waiting for Atmos and Atmos being stuck in his head. This all seemed to surreal.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Why are you being so kind to me?” he asks suspiciously.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I am kind to everyone,” God responds.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Atmos scoffs.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Why should I believe anything you say after you abandoned us?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>God shakes his head, “I didn’t abandon you,” God says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Really? Because from where I stand, you tossed us into the underworld! If you cared for us like you do the humans, you would let us live up here instead of down there with heat and ash.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I thought you enjoyed the heat and ash?” God says.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Atmos grunts, “Well yeah, but that isn’t the point. The point is you care more about these mortals than you do us, and that is why we despise you.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>God shakes his head, “You have me all wrong, Atmos. I gave you the underworld because your kind is well suited to live down there. If I gave you this world, you would pillage and rape and burn it to the ground.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Atmos narrows his eyes, pauses then nods.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Yeah, that’s probably true.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>God smiles.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Your kind might not have been perfect, but for what I need you for, you are exactly as I intend you to be.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Atmos furrows his eyebrows.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“What are we needed for?” he asks as if the idea of a demon having any sort of fate was new.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>God smiles, “Now I believe it is my turn to insist you think only of your own matters.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>--------</em>
</p><p>Inside Lucifer’s penthouse, Lucifer’s body is stuck to the wall and impaled by the blade from one of Ezria’s wings. Ezria has taken it off and approaches Chloe as she stands at the top of the steps. The blade still attached to his wing waits at the ready.</p><p>“I am so sick of your kind,” he says, “you’ve been given everything in the world one could possibly desire, and still you spit on it. You blame us for your wrongdoings, blame God for your faults and flaws. He gave you free will, and you choose to use it to deny your responsibility.”</p><p>Chloe shakes her head, “Not all of us are like that,” she says, backing away from him.</p><p>“One is enough to poison the waters, Detective,” he says.</p><p>The way he says Detective is wrong. He says it with so much venom it makes goosebumps crawl up her skin.</p><p>“You mortals are an error. An infected limb on the body of God,” he stays stepping closer, “and you know how to cure an infected limb?”</p><p>She shakes her head no as she backs up.</p><p>“You cut it off,” he grins.</p><p>Suddenly, Chloe yelps, and her hand moves to her crotch. Ezria pauses as she turns red in the face.</p><p>She brings a hand up to her mouth, an incredibly inappropriate and absolutely delightful vibration happening between her legs.</p><p>“I-,” she begins to say, the vibration somehow turning up higher.</p><p>She lets go a breathy pant, and Ezria slowly lowers his wing, his face scrunched up in confusion.</p><p>“How is this arousing for you?” he asks, stupefied.</p><p>“Lucifer turn it off!” she squeaks, her knees closing on each other.</p><p>Ezria tilts his head and turns to see Lucifer, the blade impaled into him, with a cheeky grin on his face and a remote in his hand. He flicks the button to turn it off.</p><p>“Poor timing, I know, but I’m attempting to create a Pavlov's dog response. You see if everytime she sees me, she gets a lovely little clit tickle, then eventually just my mere presence will jostle her jimmies, so to speak.”</p><p>Ezria stares at him, unsure of what to say.</p><p>“I thought I killed you?” he asks.</p><p>“Oh, you did,” Lucifer says, slipping the remote back into his pocket, “and I ended up discovering some <em>very</em> interesting things about you and me,” he says.</p><p>Ezria narrows his eyes.</p><p>“You and me?” he says.</p><p>“Yes, well other than the fact that being a prick has its uses. You and I were pulled from the same gaseous cloud at the exact same time.”</p><p>Ezria narrows his eyes, “I know that already,” he says.</p><p>“Hmm, but do you know why?” he asked.</p><p>Ezria groans and walks towards Lucifer, “I’m done playing games with you,” he says, “you will give me what I want!”</p><p>Ezria reaches out to grab Lucifer by the throat.</p><p>“Lucifer,” Chloe huffs, straightening out her dress as she stands up straight.</p><p>He waves her off, “All under control Love,” he manages to get out beneath Ezria’s grasp.</p><p>“Stop!” Chloe cries as she runs down the steps.</p><p>“Detective, I can handle this,” Lucifer says, before turning to the blade that pins him to the wall.</p><p>“Though I might need a little assistance getting unstuck.”</p><p>Chloe moves towards Ezria.</p><p>“He’s your brother! Stop!” she yells.</p><p>Right as she gets close enough, she gets backhanded by a wing and falls to the floor.</p><p>Then a blade comes down and slams into her thigh. She screams out in pain, and Lucifer turns his eyes to her.</p><p>“Detective!” he grunts.</p><p>She turns to look at the blade and how deep it is into her thigh. It pins her to the ground where she fell.</p><p>She cries out in pain.</p><p>“What do I want to do first?” Ezria asks himself, “Kill you or make you watch me kill your girlfriend?”</p><p>Ezria looks at him for a moment before deciding, “I suppose since you’ve had such a good life, I should make you watch first. You like watching, don’t you? Sitting by and doing nothing? Letting others hurt while you do as you please?”</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, “Are you still mad at the cage thing?” he asks, “We’ve been over this.”</p><p>“How poetic,” Ezria says, turning to Chloe then back to Lucifer, “that you two should die together.”</p><p>He pauses briefly, thinking if he wanted to do that. If that would not be the best thing to ever happen to them. That one should not live without the other.</p><p><em>No,</em> he thinks, they should suffer like he does. Like he has; alone.</p><p>One must live without the other. He turns back to Lucifer and looks down at the blade inside of him.</p><p>“I suppose the mortal will do,” he says aloud, “would save me the trouble of having to kill you again. You seem to have too many lives for a human.”</p><p>Ezria lets go of Lucifer's neck as Lucifer is still pinned to the wall.</p><p>“Now,” he says, turning to Chloe.</p><p>Ezria retracts the blade from Chloe’s leg, and she cries out in pain, immediately rallying up to hold her bleeding leg.</p><p>“Perhaps he should know how it feels to have everything ripped from him,” he says.</p><p>“No!” Lucifer screams, trying to fight through the pain to dig the blade out of him.</p><p>His face turns red from strain as he tries but fails. He only manages to cut up his hands.</p><p>Chloe turns around and crawls on the ground, blood seeping from her leg. She crawls towards the bedroom steps. Hoping Maze is awake by now. There’s no way she could take Ezria, but she’s immortal. It would give Chloe enough time to get away or get to Lucifer.</p><p>“Chloe!” Lucifer yells through the pain.</p><p>He tries to muster up all the energy he has, but nothing is powerful enough to fight through the pain. He starts to cry, panic filling his lungs.</p><p>“Stop! Fine! I’ll give you what you want,” Lucifer screams.</p><p>Ezria pauses and turns to Lucifer.</p><p>“I’ll tell you how I did it,” Lucifer says.</p><p>“How easy you are,” he says.</p><p>“I jumped through. That is all I did, I promise. I …it burned and hurt and didn’t want me through, but I pushed through anyway.”</p><p>“That doesn’t help me,” Ezria says.</p><p>Chloe continues to crawl further away, crying through the pain.</p><p>“That’s all I did, I swear!” Lucifer says.</p><p>Ezria stares at him for a second before shaking his head and tutting.</p><p>“It’s a shame,” he says, his eyebrows furrowed, “that she has to die for such useless information.”</p><p>“What?” Lucifer says, “No, I told you! I told you what you wanted.”</p><p>Ezria nods, “yes, well … I kind of want this more,” he says, tilting his head.</p><p>Lucifer stares, his eyes wide.</p><p>“You’re … you're truly a monster,” he says aghast.</p><p>Ezria chuckles, “Kind of wish you didn’t let me out now, don’t you?”</p><p>He turns right as Chloe grabs onto Amenadiel's feet and pulls her self up.</p><p>“Amenadiel,” she whisper-cries, pulling herself up against his body.</p><p>Lucifer groans and goes back to the blade in his gut. He looks up at Ezria, then at Chloe and Amenadiel. He turns his eyes to the locked bathroom door, where even more humans wait.</p><p><em>He’s going to kill them all</em>, he thinks.</p><p>Lucifer pants, nervousness in his bones. He turns back to the blade in his body and tightens his jaw. He grabs onto it again, this time fighting through the pain of it slicing into him. He tries to pull it out, but it’s too stuck inside of him to budge.</p><p>He looks over as Ezria grabs Chloe’s feet and drags her away from Amenadiel’s body, throwing her over to the bar. She cries out as she hits the bar stools and crashes to the ground. She grabs her bleeding leg in pain. Ezria stomps quickly over to her, flipping her so that she stares directly into his eyes.</p><p>Lucifer snaps his eyes back to the blade. Panic brewing in his system. Then he pauses, a moment of clarity. There’s only one way to get the blade out of him.</p><p>He grits his teeth and plants his feet in a wide stance before breathing to psyche himself. Then, he pushes himself forward, pushing the blade further into him. He yells in pain as it sinks further into him, widening the wound in his gut, and sending more blood pouring out of it. It hurts, but he powers through. He grits his teeth, sweat beads pooling on his forehead from the pain. His face turning red. His eyes turning red.</p><p>Ezria stares at Chloe, deep into her eyes, taking real enjoyment out of seeing her terrified.</p><p>“You hear that?” he asks, referring to Lucifer’s pained wails.</p><p>“That’s the sound everyone you’ve ever loved is going to make. I’m going to start with you, and I’m going to make him watch,” Ezria says.</p><p>Lucifer makes it to the leather straps of the blade. He is happy there is no more blade but not happy there will be something to run itself through the massive wound in his gut. Still, he takes a breath and moves forward. He musters up all the strength and resistance he has left and openly wails as he pushes himself forward and the leather drags through his insides.</p><p>Then he is free from the blade and juts forward, his movement a little lighter now that he didn’t have the blade to hold him down. He turns to see Ezria leaning over Chloe, saying something to her as his wing is high in the air, ready to strike at any moment.</p><p>Lucifer’s eyes turn back to the blade jammed in the wall.</p><p>“I’m going to make him watch me kill everyone he’s ever loved. Then, I’m going to kill everyone they’ve ever loved and so on and so forth. I’m going to continue until your entire abomination of a race is wiped from this earth. Mortals are God’s greatest mistake, and I am here to-“</p><p>Lucifer’s war cry is followed by the sound of bone and flesh-ripping apart.</p><p>Chloe’s face is suddenly spattered with black blood, and she turns, spitting some of it out of her mouth.</p><p>Ezria pauses, confusion in his eyes. He shouldn’t be feeling pain. Why is he-</p><p>Ezria looks down to find his own blade sticking out of the center of his chest. He slowly turns around, shock in his eyes, to see Lucifer shares the same surprised look as he does.</p><p>Except Lucifer’s eyes are pure white.</p><p>His shock turns into rage as he stands up and reaches behind him to pull out the blade. The second he grabs it, however, his hand recoils. The blade is hot.</p><p>He furrows his eyebrows and turns to look at the blade in his back from the bar mirror. It is heated, and the inscriptions on it glow with a white fire.</p><p>“What …,” Ezria begins to say.</p><p>He turns to Lucifer, “What have you done!” he screams.</p><p>He moves to attack Lucifer, but then his knees buckle beneath him, and he hits the floor.</p><p>Immediately he coughs up black ink. Lucifer sees he is incapacitated and turns to see Chloe moving her way towards the steps. She leaves behind a ribbon of bright red blood as she moves.</p><p>He turns to see Amenadiel still down and shuffles over to him, his hand still on his gut.</p><p>“Amenadiel, wake up,” he says.</p><p>He kicks Amenadiel, but Amenadiel is down for the count.</p><p>Lucifer grunts in pain and gets on his knees before turning Amenadiel onto his back.</p><p>Here he gathers his strength and rips the shirt on Amandiel’s back. Then he takes his fingers and digs deep beneath his shoulder blades until he forces a single wing out, like popping the lock on a trunk.</p><p>The wing knocks him back, and he hit the floor. He groans in pain before turning, his face pale and a cold sweat already falling over him. He steadies himself and stands before shuffling back over to Amenadiel and carefully yanking a feather from his wings.</p><p>Meanwhile, Ezria continues to vomit up black ink. So much that the darkness on his body begins to disappear, the more black ink he voids. He lurches, his wings shuddering with each involuntary spasm.</p><p>Lucifer shuffled over to the steps, where Chloe has managed to pull herself up and collapse, tired and drained. She looks pale.</p><p>Lucifer kneels by her and cradles her head in his hands.</p><p>“Detective,” he says.</p><p>She turns to him and blinks.</p><p>“I’m sorry, I had to,” she says, her voice weak.</p><p>He shakes his head, “You did nothing wrong,” he says with a smile.</p><p>“I promised,” she says</p><p>He shakes his head, “I would suffer a thousand broken promises from you love,” he says.</p><p>She groans and rolls her eyes. Lucifer raises a feather to her eyes and smiles.</p><p>“Let’s fix you up, yeah?” he says.</p><p>She reaches out a shaky hand and holds the feather as he is about to place it on her.</p><p>She shakes her head.</p><p>“You first,” she says.</p><p>He smiles and shakes his head, “Ladies first,” he says.</p><p>She protests, sticking her hand up.</p><p>“You’re turning blue,” she says, taking note of how cold his skin looks.</p><p>“Nothing an angel wing cant fix, but I need you well first,” he says.</p><p>She goes to protest, but her hand falls by her side, and her eyes flutter closed.</p><p>“Detective?” he asks, watching her for a moment. She’s still breathing but unconscious.</p><p>He takes the feather and sets it onto the wound on her leg. Then he closes his eyes and concentrates.</p><p>He prays.</p><p>Ezria still kneels on the ground, the darkness seeping from him in waves now, the blade heating up completely and driving the ink out of him.</p><p>He gasps and gags.</p><p>A bright light shines behind him, but he doesn’t have the energy to focus on anything else but wondering when it will stop. When the gagging and retching will end.</p><p>On the steps, Chloe’s wounds are healed, but she is still unconscious. Lucifer lets go of her head and moves away, his gut still killing him. He looks down at the wound, finally, the front of his shirt covered in blood. He looks at his hand, cut up and bloodies, then looks up to Ezria, who still vomits black blood. He watches as almost his entire body is pink again, save for his head and his neck, which slowly lose their black tint the more he vomits.</p><p>He stares for a moment at Ezria, at the black ink on the ground. The pool of black water widens around him the more he expels.</p><p>The bathroom door behind Lucifer opens, and Father Kyle peeps his head out.</p><p>“is it over?” he asks.</p><p>Father Kyle’s sight moves up as he hears Ezria retching.</p><p>“Why aren’t I dead?” Lucifer asks himself, staring at the blood on his hand.</p><p>Father Kyle eyes him for a moment, his eyes moving down to all the blood on his shirt and then to the paleness of his skin. Then they land on Lucifer’s white eyes.</p><p>“I think you are,” he says, furrowing his eyebrows.</p><p>Lucifer stands up, catches himself on the wall, and holds himself there. The wound hurts, badly, but it has stopped bleeding.</p><p>“Ezria,” Lucifer says, stumbling down the steps, “Why aren’t I dead? That blade should have killed me.”</p><p>He walks over to Ezria and collapses on his knees, in the black ink. He stares at the hot blade sticking out of Ezria. It isn’t like a demon blade, one that glows with fiery lava. Instead, the metal shines with a golden aura, and the inscriptions on the blade are hot white.</p><p>Lucifer narrows his eyes as Ezria gasps for air. The black ichor swirls around them both as if it were alive.</p><p>“Ezria,” Lucifer says, “what kind of blade is this?”</p><p>Ezria pants and turns up to look at Lucifer. His eyes begin to water.</p><p>“I’m … I’m sorry, I-“</p><p>“What kind of blade is this?” Lucifer says sternly, ignoring his brother’s attempt at apologizing.</p><p>“Angel blade,” he huffs between breathes.</p><p>“Lucifer,” he hears.</p><p>He turns to see Father Kyle at the edge of the steps, looking on in awe.</p><p>Father Kyle points, and Lucifer’s eyes follow the path. He looks down to see the black ink has stopped spreading. Instead, it sits around them, the edge forming a perfect circle with Ezria and Lucifer at its center.</p><p>“What the …”</p><p>Ezria hisses and arches his back as the blade heats up, and a white light starts to crawl across the blade into him.</p><p>Lucifer’s eyes widen. He reaches out and grabs the blade, trying to pull it out by the leather strap, but it's stuck in there.</p><p>“Ezria, what kind of blade is this?” Lucifer says again.</p><p>“It hurts!” Ezria screams, the white light crawling up his arms.</p><p>“This isn’t an angel blade!” Lucifer says, reaching for the blade again.</p><p>It immediately sears his hands, and he pulls it away.</p><p>“It hurts!” Ezria screams, the light crawling up his neck.</p><p>“I can’t pull it out!” Lucifer says, panic in his voice.</p><p>“Pull it out!” Ezria cries, turning his eyes to Lucifer to reveal they are a bright jade green.</p><p>Lucifer pauses.</p><p>“Where did you get this blade?” Lucifer asks.</p><p>The light crawls int Ezria’s eye at almost the same time he realizes there is nothing that can be done.</p><p>“Blacksmith,” he says with sadness.</p><p>When the light meets his pupils, Ezria doesn’t burst into embers. Instead, he cracks like a marble statue and falls into a million small particles. They mix into the dark ichor that surrounds them and turns it into a strange black slurry.</p><p>Lucifer just stares out, his eyes wide as the blade drops and hits the floor.</p><p>This blade. The one that killed his brother. It wasn’t an angel blade at all.</p><p>Lucifer watches the dark ichor swarm around him and the single blade left in its center. His eyes move over the blade, seeing the familiar sigils. The ones he saw in his mind's eye.</p><p>“God blade,” he whispers, shock behind his eyes.</p><p>----- --</p><p>On the front lines, Heaven’s army grows weary.</p><p>Michael slices an angel with his blade, stumbling him long enough to toss him to the back of the lines. He immediately brings his sword up to do it again to another angel, his grunt sounding tired and defeated.</p><p>Recognizing his fatigue, he moves back to a line of resting angels who tend to wounds.</p><p>He had held off from physically harming his brothers. Despite other angels not taking his orders, he had to admit their work had pushed the fallen angels back significantly. Still, it hadn’t been enough. Michael might have to kill them. He shakes his head, weighing that idea on his soul.</p><p>He didn’t want to, but it was his task. To defend the Silver City. Perhaps that meant by any means necessary.</p><p>He nods to himself and turns, ready to give the order when he is met with the sudden sound of silence. No grunts or screaming, no metal meeting metal. Just heavy panting and groaning.</p><p>He furrows his eyebrows and pushes his way to the front lines. Here, Heaven’s army stands at the ready, albeit confused. The fallen angels all stand there, looking around at each other. Their eyes are varying colors of brown, blue, and green. But none of them are black.</p><p>“They just … stopped,” an angel says to Michael.</p><p>Michael stares forward as the fallen angels try to understand what the hell is going on.</p><p>One angel looks up and sees Michael before it dawns on him what is happening. He shakes his hand and drops his blade, collapsing to his feet.</p><p>“Please, no!” he weeps.</p><p>The other fallen angels catch on quickly and back away from the front lines. A few others fall to their feet while even more run. Some take to their wings and fly into the sky, eager to be on the other side of the web. None of the ones running make it far as a bright bolt of light stops them in their tracks.</p><p>Michael turns to see his father at the front lines.</p><p>“Father,” he says, “I was just about to-“</p><p>“You did well, Michael,” he says, turning to Michael.</p><p>Michael swallows and nods.</p><p>God stares out as the fallen angels kneel and cower. Heaven’s army, even the tired angels, all stand at attention and walk behind the fallen angels, taking control of the field.</p><p>“What would you have us do now?” Michael says.</p><p>God smiles and looks at Michael. He turns back to the army.</p><p>“Invite them in,” God says with a smile.</p><p>The angels look at God like he has lost his mind.</p><p>“Come, let us show them how the city has changed since they were last here.”</p><p>Michael furrows hi eyebrows, “Father, with all due respect, they need to be punished. Why else would you have us fight?”</p><p>God smiles and places a hand on Michael’s shoulder.</p><p>“Their punishment is over,” he says.</p><p>Michael stares at God for a moment, completely unsure of what to do.</p><p>He sighs and nods before turning to the angels.</p><p>“Bring them in,” he says reluctantly.</p><p>They groan and agree, reaching down to pull the fallen angels to a stand.</p><p>Michael steps forward to assist, and God holds him back.</p><p>“I have a task for you,” God says, “an essential task.”</p><p>“Father, I am too tired to fight,” he says.</p><p>God shakes his head, “It isn’t a fight. I simply require you to retrieve something for me.”</p><p>Michael furrows his eyebrows.</p><p>“Retrieve what?” he asks.</p><p>--- --- -- -</p><p>In his penthouse, Lucifer kneels in the circle of black ink. He doesn’t know what to say, or what he should feel. Moments ago, he had wanted to kill Ezria, and now he feels a strange emptiness with his absence.</p><p>And that was just one aspect of it. Now he has to battle with the idea of …</p><p><em>All this time</em>, he thinks.</p><p>Was this his grand plan?</p><p>Lucifer groans in anger, “Why didn’t you just bloody tell me that, to begin with?!” Lucifer yells.</p><p>His voice stirs Chloe on the steps. Father Kyle turns and kneels down to her, helping her sit up. She looks at out at Lucifer, her eyes lacking clarity for a few brief seconds.</p><p>She furrows her eyebrows, “Lucifer?” she says.</p><p>Lucifer turns to her.</p><p>“Chloe, glad to see you’re awake, Darling I … I seem to be in the middle of an existential crisis.”</p><p>Chloe slowly sits up, “What?” she asks.</p><p>The bathroom door opens, and Linda and Dan step out.</p><p>“It’s been silent for a while, is it safe?” Linda asks.</p><p>Dan and Linda walk forward to see Lucifer kneeling in a pool of black ink. It forms a perfect circle around him like he is standing above a void.</p><p>“What is that?” Linda asks, not holding back her shock.</p><p>Chloe stands slowly, her leg oddly fine.</p><p>“Well,” Lucifer says, “would you like the abbreviated version or the <em>‘I just ate from the tree of knowledge, and now I can see everything’</em> version?”</p><p>“What?” Chloe asks.</p><p>“He’s a demigod,” a voice says.</p><p>They turn to see Michael landing on the balcony.</p><p>Lucifer scoffs, “Oh … spoilers brother,” he says, annoyed.</p><p>“What?” Chloe says again, much less confusion and much more outrage behind the word this time.</p><p>“He and Ezria are one being, split into two souls. Father intends for them to go to another universe but they were too young, too …unknowing,” Michael says.</p><p>“And we all know Father is a jealous God,” Lucifer says, “couldn’t just create a God. No, had to create a demi-God and come up with some convoluted plan to stick them back together.”</p><p>Lucifer pauses, a strange realization over him.</p><p>“He parent trapped me,” Lucifer says, shocked, his eyebrows furrowed.</p><p>Dan whispers, “and I thought my thing was fucked up.”</p><p>Michael walks forward and notices Amenadiel passed out on the floor. He smiles to himself.</p><p>“I’m sorry, demigod? Universe? Am I high?” Linda says.</p><p>“Mm,” Michael says.</p><p>He eyes the blade on the ground.</p><p>“You know what you have to do,” Michael says.</p><p>Lucifer nods, “I have an inkling.”</p><p>He pauses and chuckles nervously, “Inkling. Get it?”</p><p>“Will somebody tell me what is going on?!” Chloe screams.</p><p>Lucifer huffs and reaches out for the blade in the center of the circle. The moment he touches it, the ink on the ground begins to spin as if he was the center of a whirlpool.</p><p>Linda gasps, putting her hand over her mouth.</p><p>“To be fair, I gave mum her own universe,” he says to himself, “and I split Abel into pieces across this one. I should have seen it coming.”</p><p>Linda hums, “Ohh,” she says, getting it, “Wow.”</p><p>“Lucifer,” Chloe asks, looking for him to explain what is happening.</p><p>Lucifer nods and stands, the blade in his hand.</p><p>“There are multiple universes outside of our own, Detective. Some occupied by beings and their creations, much like my Father. Some empty and void. Ready to be filled. You do recall my demonstration with Ms. Lopez?”</p><p>Chloe squints her eyes.</p><p>“With the coffee?” he asks.</p><p>“Oh,” she says, nodding, “Yeah, and the cream?”</p><p>“Yes,” he says with a smile, “and in this instance, I will be the cream.”</p><p>He pauses.</p><p>“I realize that sounds sexual, and I’m trying to come up with a meaningful innuendo, but I’m still stuck on the whole … God thing,” he continues.</p><p>“Mm,” Chloe says, “yeah.”</p><p>Somehow having sex with a God seems less like it would lead to eternal damnation than having sex with the devil.</p><p>Lucifer looks down at the blade then turns to Michael.</p><p>“I suppose we all do become our parents,” he says.</p><p>“So you’re going to go into another universe and become God?” Chloe asks, trying to get this right.</p><p>Lucifer smiles, “Ever the Detective,” he says sadly.</p><p>Linda looks around for a chair. Not seeing one, she just collapses to the floor, trying to take in that she was a therapist to a God.</p><p>“So why didn’t he just do all that from the beginning?” Chloe asks, “instead of …all this <em>extra </em>stuff?”</p><p>Lucifer huffs in amusement, “I don’t know. Possibly because that sounds boring? I suppose if you know of everything from the beginning of time you have to get <em>some</em> amusement out of it. Sick as it maybe.”</p><p>Chloe crosses her arms.</p><p>“Brother,” Michael says.</p><p>Lucifer turns to him and nods, annoyed, “Right. You’ve waited eons for this moment, why extend it for another two minutes, yeah?”</p><p>He looks down at the blade in his hands.</p><p>“I suppose … I suppose this is it then,” he says, looking up at all the people on the steps.</p><p>Abel and Ella choose this time to come out of the bathroom.</p><p>“Any last words?” he asks.</p><p>Chloe walks down the steps, her arms crossed, and approaches him. He watches her, sadness behind his eyes. She leans up and kisses him. It is a long kiss, a final goodbye. Then she steps aside. Far enough away to not be in the circle, but not far enough that she can’t smell his cologne.</p><p>“I would try to convince you not to but … honestly, it seems out of my hands,” she says.</p><p>He smiles, “out of mine too, unfortunately. I’m standing in a puddle of my brother …or myself. I still haven’t wrapped my head around that bit yet.”</p><p>He turns the tip of the blade, so it points towards his already wounded gut, then psyches himself up. Chloe turns her head, not sure she wants to see.</p><p>He pauses then turns to Michael.</p><p>“Wait,” he says, “does that mean that I technically have two penises?”</p><p>Chloe scoffs, amused before shaking her head, a grin on her face.</p><p>Everyone else is silent and just looks at him like that is not the question they have on their mind.</p><p>He sees there reaction and shakes his head, “No, you’re right, bad timing,” he says.</p><p>Then he jabs the blade into his gut as far as he can go.</p><p>When it is in, he lets go and watches as it hangs from his stomach.</p><p>“Bloody hell,” he groans, before gasping, “there isn’t a better way to do this than seppuku?”</p><p>The blade begins to heat up, the sigils igniting in hot white.</p><p>“Oh, he wasn’t kidding,” Lucifer says, crumbling to his knees, “that really bloody hurts!”</p><p>The black ink around his feet spins faster.</p><p>A light crawls up his body slowly, and Michael steps closer.</p><p>Chloe falls to her knees beside him, just on the edge of the circle. He turns his eyes to her, a pained grimace on his face.</p><p>“I’m here,” she says.</p><p>He smiles his hand, sneaking outside the circle to touch hers. She wraps her hand around his as fire crawls up his arms.</p><p>“I do love you,” he says as if making sure she knows.</p><p>“I know,” she says, “I love you too.”</p><p>He grunts as the light crawls up his neck.</p><p>She watches him, tears beginning to form in her eyes. They aren’t tears of sadness, but there is sadness mixed in there. She’s said her goodbyes, and she knew they would be final, but it doesn’t make this easier.</p><p>“Oh,” he says, turning to her breathless, fighting back the pain.</p><p>“Yes?” she asks, trying to keep his mind off it.</p><p>“I left some lemon bars for you in the mini-fridge,” he says, “share some with the spawn.”</p><p>She chuckles and wipes the tears from her eyes, “I would never share,” she says.</p><p>He smiles as the light hits his pupils, and just like his brother, he shatters into a billion pieces.</p><p>The pieces of him that fall out the circles get sucked in like a wind tunnel, and the whirlpool spins them all into one. Then the black turns to red then to green, then to white before turning back to black. Slowly the circle gets smaller and smaller until, finally, all that is left is a black onyx ring. Chloe stares at it before reaching out and picking it up.</p><p>It is no longer stable, but it moves and undulates with purple and black. It reminds her of the new galaxy forming, and she stares at it with awe.</p><p>“I will need that,” she hears and looks up to see Michael with his hand out.</p><p>Slowly she nods and hands the ring to him.</p><p>He offers her a smile, then turns and heads back to the balcony.</p><p>“What happens now?” she asks.</p><p>He turns to her and regards her for a long time. Then he looks at the people on the steps. He turns and looks at the burning city.</p><p>He takes in a deep breath and exhales.</p><p>“I suppose my father will call angels to clean this mess up,” he says before turning back to her.</p><p>“Past that, I don’t know.”</p><p>“Shouldn’t the final war like … end this? Like … what about people being sucked up to heaven, or like … the mark of the beast?” Chloe asks.</p><p>Michael chuckles and shakes his head, “You mortals enjoy fiction tales too much.”</p><p>He leaves, and everyone is quiet for a long time.</p><p>“I should ...,” Chloe slowly begins, “I should check on Trixie again.”</p><p>She walks past them to gather her phone from the bathroom.</p><p>In the corner, Amenadiel starts to stir, and Linda runs past everyone to run to him.</p><p>“Amenadiel!,” she huffs as she kneels next to him. He sits up and looks around.</p><p>“Where is Ezria?” he asks, ready to fight again.</p><p>Linda holds onto his arm, “it’s okay. It’s over,” she says.</p><p>Amenadiel sighs, relieved, “<em>Oh</em>, thank Father. And you’re okay? Everyone is okay?”</p><p>Linda nods and looks over him to check the wounds on his chest and hands. None of them seem life-threatening.</p><p>Amenadiel looks around at all the waiting mortals, at the messed up table and broken windows.</p><p>“Where is Lucifer?” he asks.</p><p>Linda pauses and her body laxes, she looks at him as if she doesn’t know what to say.</p><p>-----------</p><p>On the platform that stares out into the stars, God stands immensely pleased. There is a strange air of relaxation around him. Like a set of lungs, the universe expands and contracts with pride and ease. It breathes freely.</p><p>Michael lands behind him, and God immediately turns, not even waiting for Michael to speak.</p><p>“Let me see it,” he says, holding his hand out.</p><p>Michael approaches and drops the ring into God’s hand.</p><p>He twists it in his fingers, pushing the gem that holds the circling universe inside of it to the top. He grins widely and chuckles a carefree laugh.</p><p>Michael tilts his head, unsure he’s ever seen his father so giddy.</p><p>“Now what?” he says.</p><p>God slips the rings on to his finger and looks up at Michael.</p><p>“Now, we wait,” he says with a smile.</p><p>“Another war?” Michael asks.</p><p>God shakes his head and places a hand on Michael’s shoulder.</p><p>“No, no more wars, my son.”</p><p>“Oh,” Michael says, eased, “then … I will need to lessen the ranks in my army.”</p><p>God smiles and shakes his head, “You leave the army up to me.”</p><p>Michael nods, “Certainly.”</p><p>Michael stands there for a while, God staring at him with a grin. The longer they stand, the more nervous Michael gets.</p><p>“I’m sorry Father, but … if you are to handle the army, then what will I do?”</p><p>God chuckles and shakes his head, “Relax, Michael. Take a moment to just … relax.”</p><p>Michael nods and reluctantly lowers his shoulders on command. It’s a false relaxation but one nonetheless.</p><p>God looks over the ring proudly then turns back to the galaxy.</p><p>Michael stands there for a moment, his eyes looking around.</p><p>“Uhm, pardon my interruption father, but … may I ask what we are waiting on?”</p><p>“You may,” he responds.</p><p>Michael shakes his head, “What are we waiting on?”</p><p>God turns to Michael and smiles.</p><p>“We must aim for balance in all that we do, Michael,” he says, “each on has an off. Light has a dark. Evil has a good.”</p><p>Michael nods.</p><p>“We have a God,” God says, raising the ring on his hand, staring into the universe it holds. He stares so lovingly that it makes Michael jealous.</p><p>“Now, we wait for the Goddess.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>--</p><p>I honestly cannot believe I am done! I honestly don’t know what to say because technically, I still have a small little epilogue to write to tie up loose ends with Maze, Chloe, and a few smaller scenes with Michael. But oh my Go-…uh, Oh man! I’m finished! Wow. </p><p>Thank you all for reading and commenting! I’m really sorry I wasn’t replying to every comment in the first two parts as I was so busy writing I didn’t have time to respond to everyone but thank you for commenting anyway. I loved them all!</p><p>BIG shout out to Cynthia G., who pretty much guessed the ending of the story on Chapter 14 of Devil at the Crossroads. </p><p>I don’t know if that should make me feel accomplished or embarrassed, but I have to say it was a REALLY good comment.<br/>I’m looking forward to going back through and fixing all the little spelling errors and stuff that I missed in my proofreading, but for now, thanks again for reading!</p><p>I hope I didn’t piss you off too much with the ending.</p>
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